Smartwatches are an important product category in their own right and also a barometer for a complete picture of the active breadth of technology ecosystems. Smartwatches, primarily from Apple or using the Android environment, form a sizable market share, in active use by one-ninth to one-fourth of online adults in the US, Germany, the UK, and Japan. Gen Z and millennial adults are leading their use. The Boomer/Silent generations have a small but quickly growing share. Looking ahead, purchase plans are not substantial, although they describe a reasonable replacement market.
This MetaFAQs reports on the market penetration of smartwatches, split by generational age group, Apple and Android, and country. Report [TUP_doc_2023_1218_wret] in TUP Lenses: Consumer Electronics; Technology Ecosystems; Wearables, Hearables, Listening, and Speaking
Peak smartwatch? Time for a strategy shift
Smartwatches have quickly gained popularity, gracing the wrists of millions. These devices offer more than just timekeeping and fitness monitoring; they’ve evolved into personal assistants. Users value their multi-functionality, utilizing them for calendars, health metrics, reminders, and more. In addition, they’ve become a symbol of modern luxury. However, the latest wave of TUP confirms that the smartwatch market penetration seems to have reached a peak or plateau. Now, it’s largely about replacing older models rather than attracting first-time users. Therefore, manufacturers need to adapt their strategies, focusing less on expanding their user base and more on meeting the needs of existing customers.
These TUP tables report on the number and percentage of online adults regularly using a smartwatch such as an Apple Watch. They also include the number who are planning to purchase one within the coming 12 months.
Apple leads competitors in brand footprint dominance
Apple has continued its dominance of the brand footprint, with half of most online adults using at least one of their iPhones, Macs, or iPads. Market penetration for computer makers is shrinking.
This MetaFAQs reports on the percentage of online adults in the US, Germany, UK, Japan, and China who are using any smartphone, computer, tablet, or game console from Apple, Samsung, HP, Dell, Sony, Microsoft, Nintendo, Lenovo, Google, Acer, Asus, or LG.
Foldable smartphone early adopters
Foldables – smartphones with screens that can be folded – have received substantial media attention while actual sales have been limited. MetaFacts tested the actual acceptance of foldable smartphones among the general online public. (Note: This survey is of the general online public, not only of early adopters, technology enthusiasts, or influencers.) MetaFacts added one question to the annual TUP/Technology User Profile questionnaire and we found 121 respondents that report using a foldable smartphone out of 13,641 online adult respondents across the US, UK, Germany, Japan, and China. The highest share of usage was for Huawei foldable in China.
This sample size is too tiny to profile or size foldables users definitively. Treat the following as directional about the earliest foldables adopters. We can use these research results as confirmation that actual current foldables usage is minimal.
Highlights: Technology Ecosystems
While some device makers focus on speeds, feeds, and features, others are playing the long game to build long-term customer loyalty through ecosystems. This TUP Technology Ecosystems Highlights report reports on the size of leading technology ecosystems, which types of devices are dominating (or not), and their longer-term trends. It details the unique activities users focus on within certain ecosystems, and profiles each ecosystem’s users.
Highlights: PCs
PCs continue to hold a central role among online adults, especially as a substantial number work from home or find ways to stay connected. However, PC users are not all the same in the type of PC they use nor how they use them. This TUP Highlights report details the shifting market penetration of PCs, how ownership has changed, and which brands are leading. It details how often PCs are being used as well as how they are being used for everything from remote work to communication, shopping, and entertainment.
Tablets – Highlights
Tablets continue to seek a solid home, major use cases, and most vital segments. Currently, the largest groups of users are passive, older, or entrenched in the Apple or Google ecosystem. While Apple continues to lead and increase its share, other makers like Samsung are seeing withering penetration. Incidental and passive activities from web browsing, shopping, movie-watching, and checking email haven’t been unique enough on tablets to entice users away from their smartphones or computers.
This TUP Highlights report includes the following sections: the profile of tablet users, trends in tablets, top tablet brands, top tablet activities, unique tablet activities, and trends in technology ecosystems.
Highlights: Activities
What we do paints a richer picture than what we carry or own. All computers are not used the same and nor are smartphones or tablets. Each user has their preference about how they spend their time. Also, each user expresses their choices about which connected devices they turn to for each type of activity. While some see their tablets as passive movie screens, others rely on them as communication hubs. Some users prefer to shop on a computer, while others rely more on their smartphones.
This TUP Highlights report includes the following sections: main activities across all tech devices, major activities for each device type, activities unique to which device type, cross-device activities, the profile of activity type users, major activities for a market segment, home entertainment activities, the profile by key activities, and listening activities.
Highlights: Mobile Phones
This TUP Highlights Report profiles smartphones – their market penetration, user demographic profile, their regular activities, usage profile, key competitors, and purchase plans.
Highlights: Wearables, Hearables, Listening & Speaking
Entertainment, communication, and smart homes have all evolved beyond requiring typing on a keyboard or sitting near PC speakers. Wearable and hearables have extended a broad range of audible activities further towards a more personal convenience. However, active usage of any wearables or hearables has varied considerably across market segments. While Bluetooth headphones are widespread, VR headsets persist as niche products among a younger, more affluent, and tech-savvy segment. Smart speakers, in contrast, are showing signs of having peaked after rising in use among a middle market.
This TUP Highlights report includes the following sections: wearables penetration, hearables penetration, wearable devices used, trends in wearables and hearables, purchase plans for wearables, listening activities, penetration of voice assistant usage, the profile of voice assistant users, the profile of hearables users, and the profile of wearables users.