How American generations use smartphones

People continue to engrain smartphones further into their lives, relying on them for communication and many other activities. No single communication mode has reached singularity, and instead the top activities include text messaging, personal email, and even personal phone calls. Later generations have the highest regular use of social networking activity, while earlier generations are increasingly using smartphones for online shopping and banking. Video calls have only emerged as a top activity among one generational group.

This MetaFAQ reports on how Americans use smartphones. It shows the percentage of Americans doing any of the top ten smartphone activities. Further, it compares these percentages to how smartphone users use them worldwide. For Americans, it also splits these activities by generational group, identifying each group’s top ten activities and the three activities that have expanded the most since 2019. Report [TUP_doc_2024_0212_spac] in TUP Lenses: Devices; PCs; Mobile Phones; Activities; Communication

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Modern communication shifts to coalesce around three modes

Communication methods have evolved over the past few decades. While landlines were once predominant, they’ve now taken a back seat. Asynchronous communication, like email, offers the advantage of connecting without simultaneous availability, often more convenient and effective. Text messaging, in particular, has experienced a significant rise, now standing as a leading communication method alongside emails.

Interestingly, while smartphones are labeled “”phones,”” their initial use leaned more toward texting than calling. However, synchronous communication methods are making a comeback on these devices. Email, text messaging, and phone calls share nearly equal user numbers, showcasing varied preferences among users.

Our communication choices often depend on reciprocation, given its two-way nature. As a result, user groups may flock together toward specific communication modes, either adopting new methods or moving away from older ones.

Later generations, specifically Gen Z, have been experimenting with alternative communication modes beyond email, texting, and phone calls, only recently returning to levels nearly as high as those before the onset of the pandemic. Earlier generations have increased their use of these three communication modes even while navigating a shift from computers to smartphones.

This TUPdate reports on the share of online adults using their connected devices for any of the three major communication activities – personal phone calls, emails, or text messages. It reports on the trends from 2017 through 2023, highlighting the shifts that took place following the onset of the pandemic. Furthermore, it details the differences in communication behaviors between generational age groups. Report [TUP_doc_2023_1212_comt] in TUP Lenses: Activities; Communication

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Usage guidelines: This document may be freely shared within and outside your organization in its entirety and unaltered. It may not be used with a generative AI system without separate licensing and express written permission. To share or quote excerpts, please contact MetaFacts.

Modern communication shifts to coalesce around three modes

Communication methods have evolved over the past few decades. While landlines were once predominant, they’ve now taken a backseat. Asynchronous communication, like email, offers the advantage of connecting without simultaneous availability, often more convenient and effective. Text messaging, in particular, has experienced a significant rise, now standing as a leading communication method alongside emails.

Interestingly, while smartphones are labeled “phones,” their initial use leaned more toward texting than calling. However, synchronous communication methods are making a comeback on these devices. Email, text messaging, and phone calls share nearly equal user numbers, showcasing varied preferences among users.

Meanwhile, group communication methods from shared platforms like Microsoft Teams and Slack to video meetings hosted by Zoom and Webex have primarily met acceptance among a selected market subset.

Our communication choices often depend on reciprocation, given its two-way nature. As a result, user groups may flock together toward specific communication modes, either adopting new methods or moving away from older ones.

These trends offer invaluable insights for telecom companies, handset manufacturers, and those aiming to understand or influence consumer behaviors. The TUP data provides detailed information about communication preferences across different countries and generations, highlighting the frequency of use for email, text messaging, and phone calls among similar cohorts.

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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.

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Communication TUP Lens Highlights

During the pandemic, employees suddenly working from home accelerated their use of videoconferencing, home computers, and other connected devices. Similarly, those not employed outside the home sought ways to stay connected with others or help their students continue their education. Communication activities ranging from videoconferencing to video calls, email, group chats, and text messaging are at the heart of these connections. Market adoption has not been assured nor evenly distributed, as only some segments adopted behaviors they continued. Meanwhile, other segments dallied with new communication methods and then returned to their old ways.
This TUP Highlights report includes the following sections: communication activities by device type, communication activities among those working from home, devices used for work-related communication, and top communication activities.

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Usage guidelines: This document may be freely shared within and outside your organization in its entirety and unaltered. It may not be used with a generative AI system without separate licensing and express written permission. To share or quote excerpts, please contact MetaFacts.