Simplicity coalesces with smartphones

The long-term trend towards actively juggling many connected devices has reversed. It has even slid as users consolidate their activities on a smartphone. Furthermore, people use their devices for a narrower range of activities, simplifying their device collection and what they do with them.

Many users shifted to using a notebook and smartphone only to continue their shift using their notebooks less than before. Tablets offered to combine the best of computers and smartphones but instead have fallen into a gap between them. Meanwhile, the majority of people have migrated their activities onto their smartphones. Some of the motivation has been a quest for simplicity, although, in fact, convenience has driven more people. Economics have also played a part, spurred by the many shifts in work in response to the pandemic.

Only ten years ago, the average online adult regularly used as many as four types of devices, most frequently using a home computer, work computer, smartphone, and tablet. Although computers are still in active use, when they are being used, many have been relegated to specific tasks, such as shopping, watching videos, or intensive games.

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Long-term home notebook/laptop trends and current user profile

From 2014 to 2022, there’s been a noticeable shift in device usage among online Americans. Although overall computer usage declined from 89% to 70%, the usage of notebook computers remained steady. While desktop computer usage dropped from 74% to 45%, smartphone usage rose from 64% to 87%, signifying a consistent demand for mobile solutions. Interestingly, despite the surge in smartphone usage, notebook computers maintain their active presence. Generational changes in notebook usage also occurred, with boomers increasing their usage before and tapering after the pandemic, while the Silent + Greatest Generation raised their usage from 28% in 2014 to almost 40% before the pandemic, gently reducing it to 35% in 2022. Millennials maintained the highest usage rates nearly every year.

On a global scale, Apple has the largest share in the active home notebook base, followed by HP and Lenovo. In the U.S., Apple again leads the pack with the highest share. The average age of home notebook users skews slightly older than the average online adult, with Japan hosting the oldest users. Gen Z adults show the lowest usage rate across the U.S., Germany, U.K., and Japan, with most home notebook users falling into the millennial, Gen X, or boomers/Silent generations. Regarding brand and age, Apple has the youngest users globally, while HP has the oldest. Moreover, brands have no significant effect on home notebook activities, with the top three activities being identical across all major brands.

This TUPdate looks at the penetration levels of notebooks/laptops from 2014 to 2022 as well as smartphones and other computer form factors. It profiles users of home notebook/laptop users by their demographics, purchase recency, and activities.

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Work from home experience & purchase plans

Consumer sentiment for technology purchases has faltered with uncertainty around the economy. Also, many workers are unsure about their work from home status in the future.

This TUPdate reports on the purchase plans among online adults worldwide (US, Germany, UK, Japan, China) and in the US. Four types are split out based on their current work from home status and experience before the pandemic. It specifies their plans to acquire a computer, smartphone, tablet, smartwatch, item tracker, printer, smart home technology, and display/monitor.

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The abundance of technology among workers working from home

The majority of workers working from home have a range of connected devices available to use for work-related activities, although not all are employer-provided devices. The collection of devices among workers working from home is larger and more varied than those being used by workers not working from home.
This MetaFAQs details those key technology devices that are used more often by American and global (US, Germany, UK, Japan, China) workers working from home than those not working from home.

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