Hearables are having a tumultuous time during the pandemic, and users adapt to shifting situations. Webcams are a significant force, as are wireless Bluetooth headsets, both pivotal for users working or schooling from home. Meanwhile, voice-enabled speakers have reached a plateau, reaching their largest share among neither the youngest nor oldest adults. Smartwatches have made inroads across nearly all age groups, especially younger employed adults.
This TUP Highlights report includes the following sections: purchase plans for wearables, hearables penetration, wearables penetration, trends in consumer electronics, the profile of hearables users, the profile of wearables users, the profile of key consumer electronics users, and device activities compared to consumer electronics.
Profile of American VR Headset users
So far, virtual reality has been a dream, only being actively used by a small number of creative and fun-loving pioneers. Within the TUP 2021 survey, MetaFacts identified 358 respondents that report regularly wearing VR headsets.
This MetaFAQs report details their game-playing activities, including which devices they regularly use, along with their demographic and technological profile.
Profile of American immersive/video game-players
Playing games is more than a casual pastime for many, especially those who play immersive & video games. This MetaFAQs reports on the number of Americans who regularly use any of their connected devices to play immersive/video games – game consoles, smartphones, computers, tablets, or more than one. The report profiles respondents by age, gender, life stage, and other characteristics. Further, it reports on the other unique activities and consumer electronics this fun-loving group enjoys, including VR headsets and home projectors.
Which hearables products are in active use?
More and more people are listening—to their devices, that is. Over half of online adults in most countries surveyed actively use hearables products—those technology products focused on listening activities—with Japan close behind at 45% of tech users. American online adults have the highest rates of using hearables products of all countries surveyed.
This MetaFAQs reports on hearables product use by country and age group in the US, UK, Germany, and Japan in 2021. Hearables products identified included: webcams, wireless Bluetooth headsets or headphones, voice assistants, voice-enabled speakers, VR headsets, and smart displays.
How often are voice assistants being used?
Are voice assistants such as Apple Siri or Amazon Alexa in as widespread usage as imagined? How recently have online adults in the US, UK, Germany, and Japan used a voice assistant? How does voice assistant use compare when using a smartphone versus a computer? Between 26% and 38% of online adults in these countries have used a voice assistant with a smartphone, and between 10% and 13% used a computer. This MetaFAQs reports on the recency of voice assistant usage among online adults in the US, the UK, Germany, and Japan. It further splits smartphone and computer usage by the age group of Americans.
Which hearables products are in active use by Americans?
Listening and hearing activities with connected devices are widely practiced. To help, online Americans use many hearables devices: webcams, voice assistants, wireless Bluetooth headsets, smart speakers, VR headsets, or smart displays. This includes 143.9 million online American adults, or two in three (66%). This MetaFAQs reports on the active penetration rates of these audio-oriented devices split by age group and details the rapidly-changing adoption rates by life stage.
Profile of American Microsoft game console users
Truly active gamers love their game consoles, including Microsoft’s Xbox. However, that love is not exclusive since a fifth of Microsoft’s game console users also use a Nintendo, and a fifth uses a Sony game console. Microsoft has only reached 14% of all online Americans, primarily among younger males. This MetaFAQs report profiles American Microsoft game console users by several critical demographic and behavioral factors distinctive from the average American online adult: age group and age within gender, employment status, household size, life stage, and mix of technology ecosystems. Further, it details the percentage who use a VR headset and those who play games with a smartphone, PC, gaming PC, or tablet.
Profile of American Nintendo game console users
While 19% of all online Americans use any Nintendo game console, penetration is highest among the youngest male and female adults. This MetaFAQs report profiles American Nintendo game console users by several critical demographic and behavioral factors distinctive from the average American online adult: age group and age within gender, employment status, household size, and life stage. Further, it details the percentage who use a VR headset and those who play games with a smartphone, PC, gaming PC, or tablet. Also, it reports on the competitive mix, with the percentage of American Nintendo game console users using Sony and Microsoft game consoles.
Profile of American Sony game console users
Nearly a quarter of online Americans use a Sony game console, a higher penetration rate than competitors. Usage is most substantial among the youngish males, dropping off steeply above age 44. This MetaFAQs report profiles American Sony game console users by several critical demographic and behavioral factors distinctive from the average American online adult: age group, gender, age within gender, employment status, presence of children, household size, and life stage. Further, it details the percentage who use a VR headset and those who play games with a smartphone, PC, gaming PC, or tablet. It reports on American Sony game console users’ competitive position by those who additionally use Nintendo and Microsoft game consoles.
VR headset adoption
VR headsets are slowly and unsteadily working their way onto the heads of online adults. This TUPdate shows how penetration has expanded (and contracted) since 2018. By reviewing the activities that VR headset users do with their other connected devices – smartphones, PCs, tablets, or game consoles – this TUPdate profiles just who these VR headset early adopters are. Their creative, fun, collaborative, and educational activities point the way to possible hotspots of VR headset adoption.