New study: The decline of the computer continues while newer devices are on the rise

In a new study on device usage in the US, UK, Germany and Nordics, we see that the computer penetration keeps decreasing in all countries as more and more people are sacrificing their personal computers in favour of other devices.

While the decline of the computer continues, the smartphone penetration is now close to full saturation in most countries. At the same time, newer devices such as the smart TV, smartwatch and smart speaker continue their rise in popularity.

In all countries, at least two thirds now have access to a smart TV, while more than one in ten have access to a smartwatch. In the UK and Norway, we see the highest penetration of smart TVs with three quarters having access to one, while the smartwatch penetration tops in the US and Norway with a quarter having one.

Smart speakers increasingly popular

Besides smart TVs and smartwatches, smart speakers have gotten increasingly popular and are no longer only appealing to a few early adopter households. Smart speakers have been growing in popularity, particularly in the US and UK with one third of households now having access to one.

Previously, Amazon dominated the smart speaker market. However, Google has taken up the fight for this lucrative and fast-growing market. While Amazon Echo is the most popular smart speaker in the US, UK and Germany, Google Home is preferred over Amazon Echo in the Nordics. Also, Sonos One is doing well in the Nordics.

More connected devices than ever

Putting aside the jostling for market dominance amongst the brands, it is undeniable that with the rise of newer categories of devices, such as the smart TV, smartwatch and smart speaker, consumer demand for more connected devices is driving up the number of devices per household in all surveyed markets.

In the US, the average American now has access to more than 10 connected devices, putting them at the top of the connected league table out of our surveyed markets. And in Europe, with the average Briton having access to more than 9 connected devices, the UK is arguably the most connected country in Europe.

Personal devices not that personal

While most of us may perceive our computers and smartphones as personal devices, our study shows otherwise. On average, 1.6 people are sharing the same computer and smartphone every week, making these two highly communal connected devices.

However, there is a slightly surprising difference between the shared usage of the two devices when comparing families with and without children. While smartphones are used by multiple people almost as much in families without children as in families with children, computers are mostly and understandably shared in families with children.

Adoption of new devices means new opportunities

With the development in people’s device usage, we see a general trend towards a reality where more and more people are connecting to the world through their smart devices. In general, it is still the smartphone leading the way, but with the smart TV penetration increasing, it becomes crucial for advertisers to take advantage of the opportunities of scale and quality offered by smart connected TVs.

Furthermore, with smart speaker usage rising, there is a massive opportunity for advertisers to not only reach customers through their screens but also their ears.

Get further insights

In our study, you can learn more about the current state of device usage in the US, UK, Germany and Nordics. Enjoy!

The study is based on approximately 14.000 individual survey respondents across seven countries; The US, the UK, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland.

Download the full study and get further insights now: