Home PCs – MetaFacts TUP Client Portal

September 26, 2024November 6, 2024

The aging home computer installed base as most generations delay refreshing

Background:
Headwinds have faced home computers for years. Prior to the pandemic, adults worldwide were relying less on home computers and more on smartphones, tablets, or for some of the employed, work computers. With the onset of the pandemic, many employees, students, and parents turned to home computers for entertainment, shopping, or to get work done. Now, as many employees and students are returning to previously-established routines, home computer usage levels are returning to the established long-term trend.

Approach:
MetaFacts surveyed 81,608 online adults in the US, Germany, UK, and Japan from 2018 through 2024 as part of its annual TUP/Technology User Profile study. Within the survey, as part of detailing the multiple devices that respondents regularly use – smartphones, computers, tablets, and game consoles – we have them report if they are using a home computer, and how recently they acquired it.

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September 22, 2024November 6, 2024

The connection between AI-assisted activities and home printing

Background:

Home printers have been declining in market penetration and usage for years. Before the pandemic, adults worldwide relied less on home computers or home printers and more on smartphones, tablets, or, for some of the employed, work computers and work printers. With the onset of the pandemic, many employees, students, and parents turned to home printers to get their work or schooling done. Recent widespread attention to AI holds the promise of a home printing resurgence as early adopters tap into their creativity or learning using AI tools, potentially sparking renewed interest in printing their creations.

Approach:

MetaFacts surveyed 12,032 online adults in the US, Germany, UK, and Japan as part of its annual TUP/Technology User Profile 2024 study. Within the survey, along with detailing the home printers respondents regularly use, we have them report about their printing activities. They also detail the activities they regularly do with their connected devices and those they do with assistance from an AI tool. Additionally, we assess their attitudes about AI’s ability to help them be more creative or productive.

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September 15, 2024November 1, 2024

Home PC pricing trends by generation

Background: Starting before the pandemic and subsequent economic shifts, online adults worldwide were adjusting which devices they use, with fewer using home computers. However, many employees working remotely were not provided a computer by their employer and sought to acquire one for their home. Also during this time period, adults were transitioning many of their regular activities from home computers to smartphones. This causes erratic effects to home PC prices, interrupting historical trends.

Approach: MetaFacts surveyed 60,872 online adults in the US, Germany, UK, and Japan from 2020 through 2024 as part of its annual TUP/Technology User Profile study. Within the survey, as part of detailing the home computers that respondents actively use, we gathered the price paid for any acquired as new in the previous 18 months. All prices were converted to US dollars for comparison, grouped into price ranges, and then reported by country and age generation.

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September 10, 2024November 1, 2024

The continued decline of widespread personal computer use

Market penetration is one of the core overall measures affecting all manner of technology companies: hardware, software, services, and support. The key device types measured in this analysis are the active use of a home computer, an employer-provided “work” computer, or any other computer, such as one supplied by a university or in a library, cybercafé, or owned by a friend or neighbor. The primary measure reported in this TUPdate is the percentage of online adults in the US, Germany, the UK, Japan, or China actively using any of these computers.
Approach: This TUPdate is based on the surveys of 82,101 respondents in the US, Germany, the UK, Japan, and China from 2019 through 2024. In the TUP/Technology User Profile questionnaire, we asked respondents to identify the active installed base of connected devices they use – smartphones, feature phones, computers, tablets, and game consoles. In addition, we had them specify the source of funds for the computers they use – home, work (employer-provided), or other (public, school, library, cybercafe, friend, etc.)

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March 12, 2024May 13, 2024

Growing use of refurbished tech varies by country and age generation

The active use of used or refurbished technology is a growing practice among most countries surveyed. However, there are generational trends that differ from one country to another. In the US, later generations (Gen Z) have higher rates of using used or refurbished home computers or smartphones. In contrast, in the UK and Japan, different age generations have higher usage rates of used or refurbished home computers or smartphones.

This MetaFAQs reports on the percentage of smartphone users who use a used or refurbished smartphone, the percentage of home computer users who use a used or refurbished computer, and details the trend from 2019 to 2023 by country and age generation. Report [TUP_doc_2024_0312_reft] in TUP Lenses: Devices; PCs; Mobile Phones; User Profile; Game Consoles, Gaming PCs, and Game-Playing

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January 29, 2024December 5, 2023

Employers lag in home computer provisioning

More workers use a home computer for work than use an employer-provided computer. With the onset of the pandemic, employees and employers alike suddenly scrambled for ways to get their work done. For many employees, especially knowledge workers, having access to a computer is vital. However, not all employers have supported remote workers by providing a computer, and instead have relied on employees using their home computers. Currently, in all countries surveyed except for the UK, more workers use a home PC for work-related activities than use a work computer.

This MetaFAQs reports on the percentage of remote workers and non-remote workers who use a home computer for work-related activities or use an employer-provided PC, across the US, Germany, UK, Japan, and China. Report [TUP_doc_2024_0129_hwpc] in TUP Lenses: PCs; Activities; Work/Life Balance

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January 27, 2024March 19, 2024

Tech buying plan trends are stronger among remote workers

With the onset of the pandemic, remote workers rushed to outfit their homes or remote working locations with technology to help them communicate, work, and otherwise be productive. During this time, not all workers could acquire the technology they wanted since only in some cases did employers provide the desired technology. Following this peak, most interest in tech buying plans has waned and reverted to the mean.

This MetaFAQs reports on the purchase plans for remote workers within the next twelve months. It includes mobile phones (smartphones and feature phones), computers (desktops and laptops), tablets, and printers from 2020 through 2023. Each trend is also compared to workers who never work remotely. Report [TUP_doc_2024_0127_plat] in TUP Lenses: Devices; PCs; Mobile Phones; Tablets; Consumer Electronics; Printers; Work/Life Balance

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January 20, 2024June 6, 2024

Home computer use is age-skewed and continuing the pre-pandemic drop

Thie MetaFAQ reports on the percentage of online adults who regularly use a home computer, split by country (US, Germany, UK, Japan, and China) and age group. Report [TUP_doc_2024_0120_pcat] in TUP Lenses: PCs; User Profile

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January 20, 2024February 12, 2024

Home computer use is age-skewed and continuing the pre-pandemic drop

Home computers began to decline in use in 2018, a drop that accelerated with the pandemic’s onset. Younger adults across multiple countries were the first to reduce their home computer use which older adults then followed. In 2023, all age groups across the countries surveyed have reduced the share that actively uses a home computer. Usage is lowest among younger adults, although rates are also lower among older adults than in 2017.
Thie MetaFAQ reports on the percentage of online adults who regularly use a home computer, split by country (US, Germany, UK, Japan, and China) and age group. Report [TUP_doc_2024_0120_pcat] in TUP Lenses: PCs; User Profile

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January 19, 2024December 5, 2023

Family size influences connected device use

In larger households, adults tend to spend more time on digital devices compared to those in smaller households. Adults in larger households use their connected devices more hours per week than those in smaller households. This pattern holds among online Americans, Britons, Japanese, and Chinese. Among German adults, the pattern is bimodal, with usage highest among German adults with 3 persons in their household.
This MetaFAQs reports on the average (mean) weekly hours online adults use their connected devices (computers, smartphones, tablets) during a week. Report [TUP_doc_2024_0119_busy] in TUP Lenses: Devices; PCs; Mobile Phones; Tablets; User Profile; Households

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