Christmas decorations away, holiday vacations already fading into memory and it’s time to get to work. It’s also time to gaze at the latest and greatest in gadgets, technology and innovations from some of the world’s biggest brands at CES 2020.
This week we’ve already seen a parade of AI robots, home assistants , smart technology and even eco-friendly, water collecting solar panels. Tech enthusiasm is alive and well, and nowhere does it seem to build and buzz like the first week of January in Las Vegas.
As press coverage of the show continues, we at Tapestry Research are releasing our 2020 Media, Entertainment and Technology Report. Word to all the Techies, Gadget Geeks and next generation Innovators out there… consumers aren’t quite believing the hype like they used to.
The impact of digital and social technologies for the not so good is certainly more of a mainstream conversation amongst consumers and part of a new societal conversation at home and amongst health professionals. Governments are taking note as social technology infiltrates the political landscape and part of a new kind of spy intrigue amongst nations. With the majority of people in developed nations having a smartphone, it’s no wonder that interest (and fatigue) in paying for the latest and greatest phone upgrades is on the decline.
Even within the lauded (and binged) streaming media content business, the entertainment business is hitting a wall with a real potential for “subscription fatigue”.
Our report found media, technology and entertainment still appears to be a driving force in shifting the way we live, work, engage and seek connection and entertainment. However, what was once considered “emerging” technology now falls well within the mainstream.
Our 2020 report focuses on less on the socio-political impact of media-tech on society, rather we’ve taken a look at the underlying usage, routines and attitudinal parts of everyday people’s lives that are transforming the way people live, engage and consume media.
Ultimately, insight into media tech in 2020 is about nuance. As so many settle into a tech enriched routine in the mainstream, their relationship with tech is increasingly conflicted. People’s lives are a mix of irreplaceable day-to-day engagement with tech, yet they are more questioning of its benefits vs. opportunities. They fill and evolve their lives with incremental technology innovations, but appear to do so with less exuberance for ‘the next big thing.’ And they continue to take routine advantage of tech’s rich streaming, newsfeed and social content opportunities, while being wary of tech enabled contents impact on their behavior and its potential to impact the world around them.
Just a few of the factoids of our findings include:
- 6 in 10 people are worried about the impact new technology is having on the world.
- 5 in 10 prefer using older, proven technologies over new ones.
- Emerging technology and wearable smart devices are owned by fewer than 1 in 5 individuals, making them among the least owned devices.
- 7 in 10 will only upgrade to a new model if their current model stops working.
- Smartphones are the center of one’s media and information life, but this competes with one’s “real life” time.
- Television remains a favorite device/activity for Americans.
You can see how much tech has ingrained itself within consumer culture, and yet excitement is waning for the average American. You can find more insights from the Tapestry Research 2020 Media Entertainment and Technology report here.
In the meantime, enjoy CES and all the coverage surrounding it. And remember that we’ll be here doing what we do best: researching, understanding and providing insight nuance and strategies for media, entertainment and technology companies. Keep tabs here for more insight and analysis.