Surging production and sales of tablets and smartphones has led many to tout the demise of the PC. Yet the personal computer is the one device Americans would choose to hold on to if they had to choose among PCs, TVs, smartphones or tablets and use one device for a year, according to results of a survey from Clear Channel Media & Entertainment.
In association with Clear Channel, Vision Critical conducted a nationally representative online survey among 1,008 Americans ages 18 and over May 17-18. Among their findings:
- Americans living in Western states (56%) are more likely to have a smartphone than those living in the Northeast (46%) or Midwest (42%).
- Women are more likely than men to own smartphones: 52% vs. 43%, as well as tablets or e-readers: 31% of women vs. 25% of men.
- Media multitasking is now mainstream across all channels: 65% of respondents said they have been online while watching TV; 59% have been online while listening to music; and 25% have watched TV and listened to music at the same time.
- People feel naked without their electronic devices: Just 11% think it’s “no big deal” if they accidentally leave their smartphone at home for a day. 78% keep their smartphones in the bedroom at night and 60% keep their mobile phones within arm’s reach when they go to bed.
- Americans have mixed feelings about being so “connected”: Though 70% feel connected most or all of the time, 51% say they love it and 49% said it “has pluses and minuses.”
Commented Clear Channel Media & Entertainment executive vice president of Insights & Analytics Radha Subramanyam. “Consumers continue to change rapidly and surprise us. Preconceptions about men and women, young and old, are always tested. This research helps sketch out a picture of how Americans spend their time – and what their priorities are.”
Also among the report’s highlights:
- More than 70% of those who stream live radio on their smartphones have streamed a live radio station from a different locale than where they live.
- Smartphones are a constant “accessory” and almost half of consumers (45%) use their smartphone cover or case to reflect their tastes or personality.
- Regarding other accessories, when using headphones, two in every three listeners still prefer earbuds to the over-the-ear headsets.
