Generational Differences in Gadget Ownership

Consumer Attitudes

January 8, 2014 -- A Gallup poll examining technology ownership finds that in addition to the devices Americans owning having changed over the past decade (VCRs - 30%, basic cell phones -33%)  -- with marked generational differences in current gadget ownership.

Generational Differences in Technology Ownership
 

• Overall, the five devices that young adults (ages 18-29) own are are smartphones, video game systems, Internet streaming services, iPod or MP3 players, and laptop computers.

• The five devices that skew the oldest (with Americans age 65+) are satellite TV, cable TV, desktop computers, VCRs, and basic cell phones.

Source:  Gallup, 2014

• 83% of younger Americans have home wireless internet access versus 25% of seniors.

• 62% of young adults have Netflix or another streaming service compared to 15% of older Americans.

• Tablet ownership is comparatively closer with young adults having a moderate edge (34% v. 25%)

About:  Results based on telephone interviews conducted Dec 5-8, 2013, on the Gallup Daily tracking survey, with a random sample of 1,031 adults, aged 18 and older, living in all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia. The margin of sampling error is ±4 percentage points at the 95% confidence level. Interviews are conducted with respondents on landline telephones and cellular phones, with interviews conducted in Spanish for respondents who are primarily Spanish-speaking. Each sample of national adults includes a minimum quota of 50% cell phone respondents and 50% landline respondents, with additional minimum quotas by region. Landline and cell telephone numbers are selected using random-digit-dial methods.

Source: Gallup, Americans' Tech Tastes Change With Times, Jan. 6, 2014.