Smartphone ownership near market saturation, but e-reader sales are dropping

Smartphone ownership near market saturation, but e-reader sales are dropping

New Pew Research report tracks trends in electronics ownership.

Many people have an array of electronic devices, from laptops to tablets to smartphones and more. So it may be surprising to learn that already trends show some declines in certain technologies that just a short time ago seemed to be here to stay. But new surveys show that some technology is gaining traction, while other devices seem to be falling out of fashion.

The surveys by the Pew Research Center found that 68 percent of American now have smartphones, up from 35 percent in 2011, according to PC Magazine. Tablets are also on the rise, as 45 percent of adults say they own today.

But the popularity of e-readers is going other direction, with just 19 percent of adults owning one, down from 32 percent just last year. Interestingly, more adults say they own an mp3 player than an e-reader, even though many smartphones can play music as well as those devices. The drop in e-readers is attributed in part to the upswing in tablets, since most of those devices can be used for reading.

But the use of mp3 players among younger users, ages 18 to 29, is trending down, while smartphone ownership among this age group is way up. Only 51 percent of those aged 18–29 currently own an MP3 player, while as recently as 2010 that figure was 75 percent. Smartphone ownership in this age group jumped to 86 percent in 2015, nearing total market saturation.

Ownership of game consoles is also trending down. The Pew report notes that different devices reflect different social and cultural trends, and thus tracking device ownership can offer insights into not only technology but how people are interacting socially.

The Pew figures were compiled from a group of surveys on technology that the group has conducted over the past decade.

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