How are people keeping in touch? Which devices are used for which types of communication? Are some devices favored over others? This MetaFAQs looks at users in the US, UK, Germany, and Japan to see which types of devices (smartphones, PCs, tablets, or some combination) are used the most widely for each of a dozen communication activities including phone calls, text messaging, email, video calls, group chat/meetings, and status updates. This MetaFAQs uses results from the TUP/Technology User Profile 2020, which is TUP’s 38th annual.
Which activities span many devices? [TUPdate]
Dan Ness, Principal Analyst, MetaFacts, March 22, 2019
So many of us have done it – started doing with our smartphone or tablet what we only formerly did with our PC. Are some activities so addictive or prevalent that people do them across their many devices? Based on our latest research, the answer is yes, and especially so for certain activities.
Device jugglers stretch certain multi-platform activities [TUPdate]
Dan Ness, Principal Analyst, February 16, 2019
Consider the device juggler – emailing with a PC, then a smartphone, and then with a tablet or different PC. Do they seem more talented or rare than most of us? Our research shows they are not that unique. Ninety-six percent of those with 2 or more connected devices do at least one type of personal activity across multiple devices. However, the range of multi-platform activities is so broad and unique to the individual user that no single type of activity is cross-platform for the majority. This defines the demand for smoother user experiences.
American screen time remains thirteen trillion hours [TUPdate]
Dan Ness, Principal Analyst, MetaFacts, January 18, 2019
American adults are using their connected devices as much as ever, in 2018 totaling 13 trillion hours per week with their Smartphones, PCs, Tablets, and Game Consoles. This is slightly lower than the 13.3 trillion-hour level in 2017.
This is based on the 36th wave of Technology User Profile – TUP 2018. This analysis is based on 7,886 U.S. survey respondents, 7,521 respondents in TUP 2017, and 7,336 in TUP 2016.
Total screen time stabilizes
There has been growing media awareness and reporting about adverse social and health effects from the over-use of technology devices. These concerns have sparked the development of apps and settings to help monitor and manage screen time. Meanwhile, Americans, and indeed also adults around the world, continue to find useful and entertaining ways to integrate actively connected devices into their lives.