Abstract
Summary
Consumer usage and buying patterns have been changing under influences like
the tightening of financial markets and extended lifetimes for PCs. Companies
looking to capitalize on consumer changes, such as the rise in popularity of
virtual data and SaaS software models, can use survey results found in this
report to align their product and roadmap strategies.
This report summarizes the results of a consumer usage and purchasing pattern
survey conducted in March of 2007. The survey was conducted with In-Stat' s
Technology Adoption Panel (TAP) - a dynamic, online panel of more than 19,000
technology users and decision makers. Over 1,400 technology users responded to
this focused survey.
Findings in this report include consumers' time spent on PCs, when they last
purchased a personal-use PC, the PC' s features/form factor/usage, the desired
features of future PC purchases, changes in usage patterns, and consumers'
thoughts about new technologies.
Results from this report will help companies determine:
- When consumers are likely to make their next PC purchase.
- The features consumers state they want
- The features consumers state they really want, based on changes in their
usage/buying patterns.
- How consumers view new technologies
Table of Contents
- The Changing Consumer
- Consumer Usages and Buying Patterns Changing
- Time Spent
- What Consumers Have
- What Consumers Want Next
- What are PCs Worth to Consumers?
- How and Where are Consumers Purchasing PCs?
- Usage Models
- Virtualized Data
- SaaS (Software as a Service)
- Interoperability
- Data Backup
- The Internet
- On the Road
- Consumer Thoughts About New Technologies
- Conclusions
- Time
- PC Composition and Pricing
- Usages
- Methodology
- Appendix
List of Tables
- Table 1. Most Recent Personal-Use PC Purchased
- Table 2. Fulfillment Model used to Obtain Your Next Personal-Use PC
- Table 3. Information or Recommendation Sources for Your Next Personal-Use
PC
- Table 4. Primary Method Used to Backup Data on Your Personal-Use PC
- Table 5. Connection Used to Access the Internet When at Home
- Table 6. Connection Used to Access the Internet When Traveling
- Table 7. Concerned with DRM/Ability to Copy and Manipulate Legally
Purchased Content with your PC
- Table 8. Use Microsoft' s Media Center
- Table 9. Where the Media Center PC is Located in Your Home
List of Figures
- Figure 1. Average Amount of Time You Spend on PCs Each Week
- Figure 2. Percentage of Your Time Spent for Business Uses
- Figure 3. Percentage of Your Time Spent for Personal Uses
- Figure 4. Percentage of Your Time Spent for Personal Uses in 2005
- Figure 5. Number of PCs You Have in the Home
- Figure 6. Last Personal-Use PC Purchase
- Figure 7. Key Features Driving Your Most Recent Personal-Use PC Purchase
- Figure 8. Features and or Form Factors Wanted in Your Future Personal-Use
PC
- Figure 9. Acceptable Desktop PC Pricing (Today)
- Figure 10. Acceptable Mobile PC Pricing (Today)
- Figure 11. Activities You Most Often Use Currently on Your Personal-Use PC
- Figure 12. Activities You Most Often Used on Your Personal Use PC Two
Years Ago
- Figure 13. Hosted/Remote Software Used on Your Personal-Use PC
- Figure 14. Devices Which Share Files Most Often With Your Personal-Use PC
- Figure 15. Devices You Want to Self-Identify or Synchronize
- Figure 16. Method Used to Transfer Data from One PC to Another PC or
Consumer Electronics Device
- Figure 17. Usage of Your Personal Use PC When Traveling or Remote
- Figure 18. Motivating Factor for an HD Drive
- Figure 19. Usage of Your Media Center PC
- Figure 20. Pre-tax Income in 2006