MetaFacts TUP/Technology User Profile analysis results for subscribers
With the onset of the pandemic and related economic shifts, computer acquisition patterns did not spike substantially. After reaching a peak of new computer use in 2021, the share of Americans and Germans using a computer acquired in the prior 12 months has subsided.
This MetaFAQs reports the percentage of online adults using a computer acquired in the prior year, split by country and age generational group. Report [TUP_doc_2024_0125_newt] in TUP Lenses: Devices; PCs; User Profile
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
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
Americans and Germans in larger households tend to have newer devices than those in smaller households, a trend that has been forming since 2019. For example, the average age of an American adult’s primary device in households with four or more people is 1.7 years, a full year newer than the age in 2018. Similarly, among adults in larger households in Germany, the current device age is 1.9 years versus three years in 2018. There’s less difference in the UK, Japan, and China.
This MetaFAQ reports on the average (mean) age of the primary device in active use – smartphone, feature phone, computer, tablet, or game console. The averages are split by country and household size. Report [TUP_doc_2023_1222_famt] in TUP Lenses: Devices; User Profile; Households
One in three Gen Z Americans have a new PC, unlike Boomers – Experienced generations replace PCs less frequently than newer users, especially in the US, UK, and Germany. However, Japan and China’s Gen X started with computers later. Notably, Gen Z shows a strong inclination towards using the latest computers. Report [TUP_doc_2023_1127_newp] in TUP Lenses: Devices; PCs; User Profile
Home computer use is age-skewed; whether youngest, younger, or older varies by country – Home computers are not used as readily by all age groups. There are wide age differences in most countries due to engrained habits, replacement by smartphones, and socioeconomics.
This MetaFAQs reports on the installed base of home computers among online adults in the US, UK, Germany, Japan, and China, split by user age group. Report [TUP_doc_2023_1121_pcag] in TUP Lenses: PCs; User Profile
Americans and Germans who live alone or with just one other person tend to have older devices compared to those in bigger households. For instance, 41% of Americans in households with four or more people got their main device in the last year. This is more than the 28% of Americans in smaller households of one or two people. This trend also holds true in Germany. But in the UK, Japan, and China, there’s less of a difference.
One factor behind this is that larger households often have kids. Having children in the household is linked to using technology more actively and being more open to new tech products and services. This MetaFAQs is based on TUP 2023 results.
Apple has recently unveiled Vision Pro, a product with broader potential for applications well beyond the immersive-game orientation of many initial headsets. The presentation at the launch showcased Vision Pro’s versatility, demonstrating its potential ability to revolutionize a host of activities of many types: entertainment, communication, collaboration, productivity, creativity, and videography. Furthermore, the demo subtly highlighted the potential benefits of Apple’s ecosystem and tighter integration.
Interestingly, gaming and industrial applications, frequently highlighted in the launches of competing VR/AR/MR (Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, Mixed Reality) headsets, were not included in the Vision Pro demo. This divergence indicates a strategic focus away from a unique niche segment of the market.
Analyzing consumer technology trends requires tracking behaviors, a practice underscored by years of TUP/Technology User Profile research. The mantra that ‘actions speak loudest’ remains as pertinent today as ever. The activities people engage in are the most reliable indicators of consumer technology adoption patterns. It is less about which devices or electronics consumers use; their behaviors are the most important.
An intriguing insight from TUP’s ongoing research is that people switch devices quickly and alter their behavior slowly. Consequently, it becomes crucial to explore the number of people who regularly engage in any given activity, which the research does in detail.
The research also sets out to identify the market size for each of these activities. It quantifies how many people participate in a broad range of these activities.
Furthermore, the report also highlights demographic details, Apple’s brand loyalty, and current VR headset penetration rates. By doing so, the study is expected to offer valuable insights into the potential future for VR/AR/MR headsets such as Apple’s Vision Pro.
Home computers are losing their preeminence among online Americans. Since 2011, home computers have fallen from near ubiquity among online Americans to being regularly used by a dwindling majority.
This TUPdate reports on the penetration rates of home computers, Windows home PCs, Apple home computers, and Google OS (Chromebook) computers and overall level detailed by age generation. It also identifies how people have changed how they use home computers since the onset of the pandemic.
Which American generation has the largest collection of connected devices? How much does each generation have of the active installed base? How has this shifted between 2021 and 2022?
This TUP analysis reports on the total number of connected devices – mobile phones, PCs, tablets, and game consoles – by generational cohort – Gen Z, Younger/Older Millennials, Younger/Older Gen X, Younger/Older Boomers, and before.