Only 77 percent of adults in the U.S. own a desktop or laptop according to survey

Only 77 percent of adults in the U.S. own a desktop or laptop according to survey (Source: Pew Research Center)

Fewer people own traditional desktops and laptops this year compared to last year. The drop in users can be attributed to the rise of the concept of "Internet of Things" and the ever-increasing processing power of smartphones outright replacing PCs.

Allen Ngo, Published 10/02/2018

In a one week nationwide study performed by Pew Research Center earlier this year, the analytical team has discovered that only three in four adults between the ages of 18 to 49 actually own a PC, desktop, or laptop. In comparison, 58 percent and 91 percent of surveyed adults in the same age group own a tablet and smartphone, respectively.

The source suggests a couple of potential reasons why there is a notable gap between the number of smartphone owners and the number of desktop/laptop owners. Firstly, the number of "smartphone-only" internet users has been slowly growing from 12 percent in 2016 to 20 percent in 2018 to imply that more users are skipping PCs altogether for smartphones. Secondly, the popularity of connected smarthome devices like smart TVs, wearables, and digital voice assistants may be reducing the need for traditional PCs at home.

Another interesting revelation is that the number of cellphone and smartphone owners has not increased year over year. Cellular devices have essentially saturated the market which could prove to be a challenge for OEMs who are constantly trying to sell new models every year.

Check out the original study below for more details and analyses of the results.

Source(s)

www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2018/09/28/internet-social-media-use-and-device-ownership-in-u-s-have-plateaued-after-years-of-growth/

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Allen Ngo - Lead Editor U.S. - 5289 articles published on Notebookcheck since 2011

After graduating with a B.S. in environmental hydrodynamics from the University of California, I studied reactor physics to become licensed by the U.S. NRC to operate nuclear reactors. There's a striking level of appreciation you gain for everyday consumer electronics after working with modern nuclear reactivity systems astonishingly powered by computers from the 80s. When I'm not managing day-to-day activities and US review articles on Notebookcheck, you can catch me following the eSports scene and the latest gaming news.

contact me via: @AllenNgoNBC

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