Desktops and Laptops Trail Cell Phones in Popularity

by Jack Loechner, Feb 15, 2011, 8:15 AM

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According to a recent report by the Pew Research Center, Generations and Their Gadgets, younger adults are leading the way in increased mobility, preferring laptops to desktops and using their cell phones for a variety of functions, including internet, email, music, games, and video. Cell phones are by far the most popular device among American adults, with 85% of adults owning cell phones, and 90% of all adults live in a household with at least one working cell phone.

Cell Phone Household Ownership
	Millennials	Gen X	Younger Boomers	Older Boomers	Silent Gen.	G.I. Gen.	All adults
% of adults who have a cell phone	95%	92	86	84	68	48	85
% of non-cell users who live in a household with a working cell phone	49	51	29	42	24	27	33
Total % of adults who live in a household with a working cell phone	97	96	90	90	76	62	90
Source: Pew Research Center, February 2011

Though cell phones are now ubiquitous in American homes, the level of engagement with the phones does vary widely between generations. The survey found that while roughly the same proportion of adults in the Millennial generation and Generation X own cell phones, Millennials are significantly more likely to use their phones for a variety of purposes. A majority of Millennials use their phones for taking photos, texting, going online, sending email, playing games, listening to music, and recording videos-making them significantly more likely than any other generation to engage in all of these activities.

To clarify the generations by age grouping, the following chart is effective:

Generation	Birth Years	Age in 2011
Millennials	Born 1977-1993	Ages 18-34
Gen X	Born 1965-1976	Ages 35-46
Younger Boomers	Born 1955-1964	Ages 47-56
Older Boomers	Born 1946-1954	Ages 57-65
Silent Generation	Born 1937-1945	Ages 66-74
G.I. Generation	Born before 1936	Age 75+
Source: Pew Research Center, February 2011

Desktop computers are most popular with adults ages 35-65, and Millennials are the only generation that is more likely to own a laptop computer or netbook than a desktop.

Almost half of adults own an iPod or other mp3 player. However, among the devices examined in this report, mp3 players saw the widest range in ownership rates between generations. While 74% of Millennials own an mp3 player, only 56% of members of Gen X do, and adoption rates continue to drop for each of the older generations.

Overall, 42% percent of all adults age 18 and older own a game console, and it is especially popular with members of the Millennial Generation and Generation X. Sixty-three percent of all adults ages 18-46 own a game console like an Xbox or Play Station. Overall, 5% of adults own an e-book reader, and 4% own an iPad or other tablet computer.

Tech Device Ownership By Generational Group (% Cell Phone Users)
	% Ownership
Device	Millennials	GenX	Younger Boomers	Older Boomers	Silent Generation	GI Generation	All Adults
Cell phone	95%	92	86	84	68	48	85
Desktop computer	57	69	65	64	48	28	59
Laptop computer	70	61	49	43	30	10	52
iPod/MP3	74	56	42	26	16	3	47
Game console	63	63	38	19	8	3	42
eBook reader	5	5	7	3	6	2	5
Tablet	5	5	4	3	1	1	4
None of these	1	3	8	8	20	43	9
Source: Pew Research Center, February 2011

The youngest generation does not lead in all the gadgets studied. Gen X is also very similar to Millennials in ownership of certain devices, such as game consoles, and members of Gen X are also more likely than Millennials to own a desktop computer.

In terms of generations, Millennials are by far the most likely group not only to own most of the devices studied, but also to take advantage of a wider range of functions. Most cell phone owners only use two of the main non-voice functions on their phones: taking pictures and text messaging.  Among Millennials, meanwhile, a majority use their phones also for going online, sending email, playing games, listening to music, and recording videos.

Taking pictures is the most popular function on Americans' phones, with more than half of all cell phone owners under the age of 75 using their phones for this purpose (only 16% of adults age 75 and older take photos with their phones). Text messaging, though also widely adopted, is less popular with adults over age 56

Cell Phone Use (% Of Cell Phone Users)
	Millennials	Gen X	Younger Boomers	Older Boomers	Silent Gen	G.I. Gen	All adults
Take a picture	91%	83	78	60	50	16	76
Send or receive text messages	94	83	68	49	27	9	72
Access the internet	63	42	25	15	17	2	38
Play a game	57	37	25	11	10	7	34
Record a video	57	39	23	11	7	4	34
Send or receive email	52	35	26	22	14	7	34
Play music	61	36	18	10	7	5	33
Send or receive instant messages	46	35	22	15	13	6	30
Source: Pew Research Center, February 2011

These findings are based on a survey of 3,001 American adults (ages 18 and older) conducted between August 9 and September 13, 2010. The margin of error is +/- 3 percentage points.

To learn more about the report, and to access the PDF file, please visit PEW here.

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0 comments on "Desktops and Laptops Trail Cell Phones in Popularity".

1. Paula Lynn from Who Else Unlimited
   

   commented on: February 15, 2011 at 9:23 a.m.

   The G.I. generation needs to be broken out more. There are opportunities to reach many of this generation who could gain momentum with the tech gadgets they are so unfamiliar with and downright unsure of their usefulness. Many in this demographic are nursing homes, lost their ability to remember and more and are in finacial straits. Other people have found the Jitterbug phone. How many people who cannot leave their homes would greatly benefit from an easy computer with large type to be able to find things they need and order them on line? This includes food, medicine, books, easy games and ability to communicate with other people. This is a growing population in case anyone forgot. There is a lot of potential in the span of older boomers and G.I.'s for a smart marketer.

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