The COVID pandemic made clear many socioeconomic inequities between Americans, as the impact of the virus was felt differently in great part depending on their educational attainment, occupation, employment status, and other factors.
This TUPdate focuses on one segment – Americans in households with 4 or more persons and a household income of $35,000 or less – reporting their market size and profiling their usage of connected devices, which devices they do or don’t use, how much they use them, and the intensity of changes since before the pandemic.
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.
Game console use among socioeconomic groups
Just over one-third of online American adults regularly use a game console. Penetration rates vary widely between socioeconomic groups, with American IT employees having some of the highest rates and seniors aged 75 and higher having some of the lowest. This MetaFAQs reports on the penetration of game consoles by major socioeconomically advantaged and disadvantaged groups.
Highlights: Devices
There has been a sea change in which connected devices people use as well as how they use them. This TUP Highlights report details the trends in device ownership, the shifts between technology ecosystems, and market penetration levels. It spells out the major activities for each type of device, and how usage has changed. Furthermore, it details how many employees use personal devices for remote work.
Technology profile of low income renters
During the pandemic, low-income American renters were a large segment of Americans strongly disrupted by shutdowns, work interruptions, and even evictions. This historically socioeconomically disadvantaged market segment has the potential to benefit from technology that can enable less dangerous occupations, although starting from lower-than-average market penetration levels. This MetaFacts TUPdate report details how far below average this segment is in their use of connected devices, which types of devices they are (and aren’t) using, and how often they’re using what they have. Furthermore, it quantifies how many online adults in this segment do (and don’t) work from home.
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.
Online banking among socioeconomic groups
Using smartphones, PCs, or other connected devices for online banking is widespread, but not ubiquitous. Fewer American adults with lower income or less educational attainment use online banking than those with higher income or technically savvy. This MetaFAQs reports on the active usage of online banking among socioeconomically disadvantaged and advantaged groups, each defined by a combination of household income, educational attainment, homeownership, ethnicity, age, employment status, racial/ethnic identity, and other factors.
On-device video and movie watching among socioeconomic groups
Smartphones, tablets, and PCs are increasingly used to watch movies and videos. However, it is a regressive activity, being done more often among socioeconomically disadvantaged than advantaged groups. This MetaFAQs reports on the share of Americans regularly using their connected devices to watch movies and videos both before the pandemic (TUP 2019) and through 2021. The groups being reported consider age group, employment status, household size, ethnicity, presence of children, educational attainment, and other socioeconomic factors.
Technology profile of Black Americans aged 18-49
The COVID pandemic made clear many socioeconomic inequities between Americans, as the impact of the virus was felt differently in great part depending on their educational attainment, occupation, employment status, and other factors.
This TUPdate focuses on one segment – Americans aged 18 to 49 who identify as Black or African-American – reporting their market size and profiling their usage of connected devices, which devices they do or don’t use, how much they use them, and the intensity of changes since before the pandemic.
Connected devices by life stage and country
Young parents use more tech devices than nearly any other group. Online adults use many connected devices, especially using more than one PC. Their active collection often includes a smartphone and sometimes also a tablet. This MetaFAQs reports on the average number of connected devices in active use by online adults in the US, Germany, UK, and Japan by life stage – employment status, age group, and presence of children.