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A Smartphone Surprise: U.S. Ownership Hits Record Levels, Says CTA ResearchSmartphones are now in 80 percent of U.S. homes - a six percentage point increase year-over-year (YOY) - and U.S. consumers now own 27 million more smartphones than they did just last year, according to new research from the Consumer Technology Association (CTA). CTA's 19th Annual Consumer Technology Ownership and Market Potential Study also shows televisions remain the most popular technology device in the U.S., as they have for decades - almost every household (96 percent) owns at least one TV. Additionally, from 2016 to 2017, the U.S. market saw an increase in the overall installed base of connected devices including smart home devices, smart TVs, wearables and wireless speakers. "Connectivity - the anytime/anywhere access to information and entertainment we now expect - is a driving trend of our time, supported by the continued growth we've seen in smartphone ownership," said Gary Shapiro, president and CEO, CTA. "Smartphones are our personal hubs for innovative technologies like smart homes, connected cars and voice-recognition services. And, as more of us recognize the ability of technology to change our lives for the better, smartphones will continue to be one of the most pervasive technologies owned in homes throughout the U.S." "Three of the top five most frequently owned technology devices are products with screens - televisions, smartphones and laptops - and those numbers will continue to grow as one-third of consumers tell us they'll buy at least one smartphone in 2017, and one-fifth say they plan to buy a television or laptop in the coming year," said Steve Koenig, senior director of market research, CTA. "U.S. consumers are quickly embracing the rapid rise of today's 'screen culture,' demonstrating their appetite for connected devices that enable easy and accessible consumption of content of all types." Most Frequently Owned Products While the list is largely consistent with 2016's report, CTA identified a few notable changes within its annual top five rankings of most frequently owned tech devices in U.S. households:
Smartphones and in-vehicle communications/safety systems saw the largest gains in household ownership among connected devices - both increasing by six percentage points YOY. Almost half (45 percent) of U.S. households now have at least one vehicle with a driver-assistive safety or communication system such as back-up sensors, rearview cameras or hands-free calling. Smart home devices, smart TVs, smartwatches, wearable activity trackers and wireless speakers each saw an increase in household ownership of four percent YOY. "Our research last year showed most consumers are excited about automated driving features and self-driving cars, but there's still some hesitancy about the technology," said Koenig. "This report is further evidence that, despite that wariness, more and more drivers want innovations that help keep them safer on the road. So, as a broader range of our driving tasks are automated via driving-assist technologies, eventually, riding in a self-driving car will be just an incremental step from the in-car tech we've all come to know and love." Emerging Technologies Among emerging technologies, 4K Ultra HD (UHD) television is enjoying the fastest growth in ownership. CTA's research analysis shows 16 percent of U.S. households now own a 4K UHD TV - up nine percentage points YOY - and 11 percent of U.S. households plan to purchase a 4K UHD TV in the coming year. Other emerging technologies expected to experience significant YOY ownership growth in the year to come include voice-activated digital assistants, drones and virtual reality headsets. The 19th Annual Consumer Technology Ownership and Market Potential Study ascertains ownership and purchase intent of consumer technology products among U.S. households across various categories. The report was administered via a dual-frame telephone interview to 2,014 U.S. adults between Feb. 2-13, 2017. It is designed and formulated by CTA Market Research, the most comprehensive source of sales data, forecasts, consumer research and historical trends for the consumer technology industry. The complete study is available for free for CTA member companies at CTA.tech/membership. Non-members may purchase the study at the CTA store. CTA's biannual U.S. Consumer Technology Sales and Forecasts report projects unit sales and revenues across consumer technology categories. CTA will publish the next edition in July. About Consumer Technology Association: Consumer Technology Association (CTA)TM is the trade association representing the $292 billion U.S. consumer technology industry, which supports more than 15 million U.S. jobs. More than 2,200 companies - 80 percent are small businesses and startups; others are among the world's best known brands - enjoy the benefits of CTA membership including policy advocacy, market research, technical education, industry promotion, standards development and the fostering of business and strategic relationships. CTA also owns and produces CES (News - Alert)® - the world's gathering place for all who thrive on the business of consumer technologies. Profits from CES are reinvested into CTA's industry services. UPCOMING EVENTS
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