Popular technologies and gadgets in the West for those over 50

According to a recent study by the American Association of Retirees, the COVID-19 pandemic has markedly accelerated the penetration of modern technologies, gadgets and smart devices among the older generation. Experts note that adult consumers are more conscious when using new technologies compared to younger ones. At the same time, their solvency is generally higher. All this makes high-tech market players pay attention to older users, actively taking into account their needs when developing products and services.

50 years as one day

Last week turned 50 years since the world’s first cell phone call. April 3, 1973 Motorola development engineer Marty Cooper from New York’s Sixth Avenue committed call using a Motorola DynaTAC phone. The phone was the size of a brick and weighed 1.1 kg.

Since then, cell phones and mobile technology have evolved beyond recognition, moving from push-button “bricks” with antennas to push-button “clamshells” or sliders, and then to “shovels” with touchscreens.

Analysts note that, despite all these rapid changes, the peers of the birth of cellular communications and digital technologies, who are now 50 years old and more, perfectly manage to adapt to the transformation of gadgets and the emergence of more and more new technologies.

In some segments of the digital market, consumers of the 50+ age category even overtake younger users of generations X, Y and Z, who were already born in the era of mobile technologies and have known them since childhood or adolescence.

In March, the results were published in the United States surveyconducted by Google Nest and OnePoll, from which it became known that representatives of the baby boomer generation (born 1946–1964) are faster than other generations in mastering such a high-tech segment as smart home devices: surveillance cameras, smart speakers, streaming equipment, smart door calls, etc. 66% of baby boomers surveyed – more than in other generations – said they had no difficulty connecting and using smart home devices.

Worst of all, representatives of the youngest generation, Z (zoomers), coped with these devices. 46% of them reported that it took them up to four days to master a new device.

At the same time, the buzzers showed the most desire to have any device for the “smart home” – 63% of respondents. And the representatives of generation Y (millennials) want such devices least of all – 25%.

“When people talk about smart home devices, many fear that only tech-savvy users can handle them,” says Google Nest Product Director Karen Yao. “But in reality, the latest smart home devices require much less technical training, to start using them or integrate them into an existing ecosystem and thus customize your home even better for yourself.

Boomeru is ok with technology

Lockdowns and self-isolation have significantly accelerated the penetration of modern technologies among older users. They began to actively use applications for online shopping, video applications for communication with loved ones, instant messengers, etc.

By data According to the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), if in 2019 Americans aged 50 and over spent an average of $394 on modern digital technologies, then in 2021 it will be twice as much – $821. Growth continued in 2022 — by 11%, to $912.

In 2022 alone, 71% of Americans aged 50 and over have purchased at least one high-tech device. AARP experts predict that by 2030, Americans aged 50 and over will spend a total of $120 billion a year on technology.

The high solvency and practicality of older Americans could not fail to attract the attention of market experts. “The older generation does not follow technology just for the sake of technology,” he is quoted as saying. The Wall Street Journal Age of Majority CEO Jeff Weiss.

The publication compiled a list of the five most popular technologies and services among American users aged 50 and over.

Confirming the findings of the Google Nest and OnePoll survey, the top 5 most popular technologies and gadgets among users aged 50 and older are home helpers, such as Amazon Echo or Google Nest Audio smart speakers. Their popularity has been growing among older Americans for years, and now one in three people in the country in the 50+ category owns such a device. According to AARP, 60% of their owners use such devices on a daily basis, and not from time to time.

Another popular gadget is wearable devices with health monitoring features: smart watches, fitness trackers, etc. According to AARP, 28% of older Americans have such devices, of which 77% use them on a daily basis.

Spreading streaming services has risen markedly worldwide in large part due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Older users supported this trend, which allowed streaming to become one of the most popular technologies in the 50+ category.

Most often, users in this category watch TV shows and movies on Apple TV streaming platforms, etc., refusing to use traditional TV with ad blocks that cannot be scrolled, newscasts that interrupt the movie, etc.

Another popular technology among older users is password protection services and programs. According to an Age of Majority survey, 37% of users aged 55 and over use a password manager on a regular basis.

The high degree of practicality and responsibility of users aged 50 years and older was also reflected in the fact that they included another segment of the high-tech market in the top 5 – programs, applications and courses on combating fraud on the Internet. Experts note that it is often older users who become targets of scammers, so it is not surprising that people are trying to protect themselves.

Benefit over price

Smartphones are the most popular gadgets among older people. The penetration rate is 86%. This is not much less than that of the younger (18-49 years old) – 91%.

The second most popular gadget is smart TV – 70% (in the category of 18-49 years old – 76%). In third place are tablets – 59% (younger users – 60%). It is followed by wearable devices – 28% (for younger users – 41%), smart voice assistants – 31% (versus 38%), smart home technologies (cameras, smart doorbells, smart heating and air conditioning systems, etc.). d) — 24% (27%).

Social networks are also of high interest among older users. 88% of Americans aged 50+ use one or more. The most popular are Facebook (owned by Meta, which is recognized as an extremist organization in Russia and banned) and YouTube. The popularity of Instagram (owned by Meta, which is recognized in Russia as an extremist organization and banned) is growing in popularity – from 24% in 2021 to 28% in 2022 – and TikTok – from 10% to 15%. At the same time, the popularity of Pinterest declined from 25% to 20%.

In general, AARP researchers note that players in the high-tech industry need to pay attention to the markedly increased interest of older consumers in modern technologies, largely spurred on by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“To take advantage of this situation, the high-tech industry needs to offer products and services designed with all ages in mind,” the report notes. “Even now, many 50+ consumers do not believe that modern technologies are being developed with their interests in mind. This is the opinion of 68% of the people we interviewed. That is why the market must show these consumers how they will benefit from this or that new product or service. Our data suggests that if older consumers see a benefit for themselves in a particular new product, they are not as sensitive (as younger users.— “b”) to a deterrent to purchase, such as the price of a device or service.”

Evgeniy Khvostik