Always On, Always Connected Finding Growth Opportunities in an Era of Hypermobile Consumers The 2012 Accenture Consumer Electronics Products and Services Usage Report pdf

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Always On, Always Connected
Finding Growth Opportunities in
an Era of Hypermobile Consumers
The 2012 Accenture Consumer Electronics
Products and Services Usage Report
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Table of Contents
Introduction 3
Smart and Mobile 5
The Consumer Cloud Uplift 9
Ubiquitous “App-etite” 11
Where in the World? Globalization and
the Ongoing Shift in Purchasing Patterns 12
Multichannel Purchasing is Preferred 14
Taking Action on the Trends 15
Conclusion 15
Appendix: Additional Charts of Interest 16
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For five consecutive years, Accenture’s
Electronics & High Tech industry group
has studied preferences for consumer
technologies and services. This annual
research is intended to help consumer
technology executives better understand

the purchase patterns and use of consumer
technologies and to gain deeper insights
into global differences.
Our 2012 study, which is based on
a September 2011 survey of more
than 10,000 consumers across 10
countries (Figure 1), shows consumers
enthusiastically making their networked
lives more robust: connecting in more
than one way and on multiple devices,
consuming more content, and doing it all
on the go. Specifically, our research has
identified five trends for manufacturers and
service providers to consider as consumers
strive to be “always on, always connected”:
• Smart and mobile: Consumers are
reaching a state of “hypermobility,”
rapidly adopting mobile technologies
and downloading apps that keep
them connected anywhere, anytime.
As a result, TV viewing and purchase
intentions are declining.
• The consumer cloud uplift: Consumers
are increasingly reaching into the
network and modifying their behaviors as
they rely on cloud services.
• Ubiquitous “app-etite”: Consumers’
use of electronics is more and more
dependent on the exploding number of
apps now within their reach.

• Where in the world? Globalization
and shifting purchase patterns:
Emerging markets lead the growth of
many consumer technologies, but these
markets are not uniform in consumers’
device purchase and use.
The data is in and the findings are clear: The movement
to mobility is at full throttle. Smartphones and tablets
are the “power players” in technology growth rates,
helping consumers use their virtual network to access
a growing portfolio of content, services and apps. In
fact, four of the five most common weekly activities
performed on consumer electronic devices are network-
based and almost two-thirds of consumers are now
downloading apps.
• Multichannel purchasing is preferred:
While consumer electronics retailers
remain the dominant choice for device
purchases, other channels (namely
other retailers and online) have made
significant inroads in the past five years.
On the following pages, we explore these
findings in more detail and discuss the
implications they have for companies
looking to capitalize on the emerging
opportunities in this era of the always on,
always connected consumer.
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Note: Our research is statistically
representative of the general population in
every country except in Brazil, China, India,
Russia and South Africa, where the sample
is representative of the urban populations.
Figure 1: Survey Demographics
Male
Female
18-24 years
25-34 years
35-44 years
45-54 years
> 55 years
Brazil
China
France
Germany
India
Japan
Russia
South Africa
Sweden
United States
16%
23%
21%
19%
21%
50% 50%

10%
10%
10%
10%
10%
10%
10%
10%
10%
10%
Gender
Age
Country
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Smart and Mobile
Consumers are adopting mobile technology
so rapidly that the mobility trend is in
hyperdrive. While consumers still have
strong ownership and usage of desktop or
laptop computers (90 percent own them),
purchase intentions for computers are
slowly declining.
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35%
3-D TV
Regular TV
Portable gaming device
eBook reader

DVR
Blu-ray player
Tablet PC
Health and fitness device
GPS
Smartphone
2011
2010
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35%
DVD player
Digital video camera
Portable music player
Netbook
Game console
Mobile phone
Digital photo camera
High-definition TV
Computer
2011
2010
More or equal purchases 2011 vs. 2010
Fewer purchases 2011 vs. 2010
Figure 2: Consumer Electronics Purchased in the Last 12 Months
At the same time, smartphone and tablet
PC ownership are rising steeply. In fact,
in the past 12 months, the percentage-
point increase in smartphone and tablet
PC purchases almost equals the purchase
decrease of computers and mobile feature
phones (Figure 2).

Which of these consumer electronics have you purchased in the last 12 months?
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Smartphone and Tablet
Computer Ownership and
Purchase Plans Growing
Exponentially
As a growing number of consumers
replace mobile feature phones with more
sophisticated Internet-connected options,
smartphone ownership has increased
significantly. In fact, smartphones have
quickly moved from being “new” to
“mainstream” as the phone of choice. More
than half of consumers we surveyed now
own a smartphone —up 25 points in the
past 12 months, or a growth rate of 89
percent over the previous year (Figure 3).
One-third of consumers purchased a
smartphone in 2011, an increase of 15
points in comparison with the previous year.
While tablet computers are still in their
infancy, ownership of these devices grew
by 50 percent last year (from 8 percent of
consumers owning them to 12 percent).
Tablet computers are also the hot prospect
for sales in the coming months. Intentions
to purchase tablets in the next 12 months

have doubled from last year—the largest
relative gain among the 19 technologies
surveyed (Figure 4). Interestingly, as
consumers buy highly mobile tablets, they
increasingly view their laptop PC as a more
stationary device. Fifty-eight percent of
those owning or planning to buy a tablet
said they were motivated to purchase a
tablet computer because it’s more mobile
than a laptop. (See sidebar, “Learning from
the Early Adopters.”)
Younger consumers (those 35 years of
age or younger) are leading the adoption
of new technologies. Product categories
most recently introduced to the market,
such as smartphones and tablets, are
to a higher extent owned by younger
consumers (Figure 5). Furthermore, younger
consumers are more ambitious in their
purchase intentions: A greater percentage
of younger than older consumers intend
to purchase products in each of the 19
consumer electronics categories in the next
12 months. Finally, younger consumers are
more active on the consumer electronics
they own. When asked “Which of the
following do you do in a typical week on
your consumer electronics devices?” those
35 or younger lead the older generation in
any activity except more traditional ones

such as emailing from a PC or mobile device.

Figure 3: Consumer Electronics Currently Owned
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
3-D TV
eBook reader
Tablet PC
Blu-ray player
Netbook
Portable gaming device
DVR
Digital video camera
Health and fitness device
GPS
Game console
Portable music player
Regular TV
Smartphone
High-definition TV
Mobile phone
DVD player
Digital photo camera
Computer
-3%
-1%
-7%
-20%
4%
25%
-7%

0%
0%
4%
1%
-2%
2%
-2%
0%
3%
4%
1%
2%
Year-on-year
comparison, % points
2011
Which of the following consumer electronics do you currently own?
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30%
None of these
Regular TV
DVD player
Portable gaming device
DVR
Portable music player
Mobile phone
Health and fitness device
Game console
eBook reader
Digital video camera
GPS
Netbook

Digital photo camera
Blu-ray player
3-D TV
Tablet PC
Computer
High-definition TV
Smartphone
3%
-5%
-1%
8%
1%
0%
0%
-1%
-1%
-1%
1%
1%
1%
-8%
1%
1%
1%
0%
0%
5%
Year-on-year
comparison, % points
Which of the following consumer electronics do you plan to purchase in the next 12 months?

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Figure 4: Plans to Purchase Consumer Electronics in the Next 12 Months
Figure 5: Differences in Consumer Electronics Ownership by Age
Note: Differences shown are on items where there is the largest gap
between age groups.
18-34 years
35-55+ years
Which of the following consumer electronics do you currently own?
Differences: 18-34 consumers own more
devices when compared to 35-55+ consumers
Differences: 35-55+ consumers own more
devices when compared to 18-34 consumers
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
Portable
gaming device
Game consolePortable
music player
Smartphone
0%

10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
Health and fitness
device
Regular TVMobile phoneDigital
photo camera
64%
45%
47%
32%
41%
28%
25%
17%
77%
72%
63%
52%
53%
46%
31%
24%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
3-D TV

eBook reader
Tablet PC
Blu-ray player
Netbook
Portable gaming device
DVR
Digital video camera
Health and fitness device
GPS
Game console
Portable music player
Regular TV
Smartphone
High-definition TV
Mobile phone
DVD player
Digital photo camera
Computer
-3%
-1%
-7%
-20%
4%
25%
-7%
0%
0%
4%
1%
-2%

2%
-2%
0%
3%
4%
1%
2%
Year-on-year
comparison, % points
2011
Which of the following consumer electronics do you currently own?
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30%
None of these
Regular TV
DVD player
Portable gaming device
DVR
Portable music player
Mobile phone
Health and fitness device
Game console
eBook reader
Digital video camera
GPS
Netbook
Digital photo camera
Blu-ray player
3-D TV
Tablet PC
Computer

High-definition TV
Smartphone
3%
-5%
-1%
8%
1%
0%
0%
-1%
-1%
-1%
1%
1%
1%
-8%
1%
1%
1%
0%
0%
5%
Year-on-year
comparison, % points
Which of the following consumer electronics do you plan to purchase in the next 12 months?
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Figure 6: Consumer Electronics Power Rankings

2011 Rank
1
Product 2011 Power Trend
2
1 Computer -35%
2 Digital photo camera -38%
3 DVD player -46%
4 Mobile phone -60%
5 High-definition TV -6%
6 Smartphone -19%
7 Regular TV -42%
8 Portable music player -13%
9 Game console 3%
10 GPS -8%
11 Health and fitness device -3%
12 Digital video camera 72%
13 DVR 36%
14 Portable gaming device 0%
15 Netbook 29%
16 Blu-ray player 72%
17 Tablet PC 125%
18 eBook reader 102%
19 3-D TV 321%
2010 Rank 2010 Power Trend
1 -39%
3 -45%
4 -57%
2 -56%
6 9%
10 26%

5 -50%
7 -37%
8 -25%
11 11%
NA NA
12 50%
14 0%
13 -25%
15 22%
16 120%
17 160%
18 133%
19 500%
TV Viewing and Purchase
Intent Declining
As consumers can consume entertainment
via more devices, apps and cloud services,
their television use and purchase intent are
declining. In countries where a year-to-year
comparison can be made from our research
data (United States, France, Japan, China,
India), our survey found the percentage of
consumers watching broadcast or cable TV
shows, movies or videos on TV, in a typical
week, plummeted from 71 percent in 2009
to 48 percent in 2011. Consumers are
using multiple devices for entertainment,
including to watch shows and videos. In a
typical week, 33 percent of consumers now
watch shows, movies or videos on their

PCs, and 10 percent are watching such
programs on their smartphones.
These trends are reflected in consumers’
purchase intentions for TVs. The percentage
of survey respondents intending to
purchase any kind of TV (regular, high-
definition, or 3-D) in the next 12 months
fell to 32 percent this year, down from 35
percent in 2010. For high-definition TVs
specifically, 20 percent of consumers plan
to make such a purchase in the next 12
months, down from 25 percent forecasting
they would purchase one last year.
Power Rankings Confirm the
Hypermobility Trend
Accenture’s Consumer Electronics Power
Rankings compare purchase intent in
the next 12 months to purchase history
and, in so doing, provide a high-level
indication of relative growth trends among
consumer technologies. This year, the
power ranking leaders are 3-D TVs, tablet
computers and eBook readers (Figure 6).
These technologies are forecasted to have
the highest growth in purchases in the
next 12 months relative to their purchase
rate last year. While 3-D TVs have the
lowest ownership of all 19 technologies,
consumers’ purchase expectations are
driving the positive power trend. Mobile

feature phones, DVD players, regular
(CRT) TVs, digital cameras and computers
have the largest negative power rankings,
representing the greatest decline in
anticipated purchasing relative to their
purchases last year.
Interestingly, the smartphone power
ranking has flipped from positive in 2011 to
negative in 2012. Purchase intentions for
smartphones continue to be very strong,
especially among younger consumers, but
at a slightly declining rate relative to the
surge in purchases last year. The flattened
power ranking reflects the realities that
more than 50 percent of consumers now
own the device and that it is moving
toward mass adoption in many regions of
the world.
Country variations are also evident and
in some cases significant: For example,
despite a very high global power ranking
(125 percent) for tablet computers, Brazil’s
power ranking is almost three times
higher (at 317 percent), representing their
optimism about future tablet purchases.
1 Ranked by ownership, 1=highest
2 Power trend calculated as (%
intending to purchase next
year - % purchased last year) / %
purchased last year

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Consumers increasingly are reaching into
the network for services and content. In fact,
only 12 percent of respondents reported
that they don’t use any online services.
The online mailbox is by far the most
common online or cloud service that
consumers use. Online games are ahead of
movie streaming, photo and video storage,
and music streaming in usage (Figure 7).
However, there are significant differences
by country. For example, Brazil, Sweden and
South Africa use online mailbox services
more than other countries do, whereas
China, the United States and Russia are
more likely to use online games.
As consumers experience the cloud, a
majority (56 percent) are changing the
choices they make and how they behave.
The most frequently cited change was
related to entertainment, with 32 percent
citing they had stopped or almost stopped
renting or buying DVDs.
Among the younger generations, an even
greater proportion of consumers (67
percent) have changed their behavior due
to their use of cloud services. Thirty-eight

percent of younger consumers have stopped
or almost stopped renting or buying DVDs,
and 16 percent said they had terminated
or were considering terminating TV
subscription services. This is consistent with
our finding that younger generations are
using more entertainment services in the
cloud than their older counterparts.
Figure 7: Use of Online Services
18-34 years
35+ years
Global
Which of the following online services do you use?
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%
None of these
Online calendar
Online document creation
Online data backup/storage
Music streaming
Online photos/video storage
Movies/shows streaming
Online games
Online mailbox service
The Consumer Cloud Uplift
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As a consumer group, tablet purchasers are
leading spenders on consumer electronics.

They have spent more on consumer
electronics in the past 12 months than
their non-tablet-owning peers, and they
are planning to spend more on consumer
electronics devices in the next 12 months.
It’s no wonder, then, that tablet purchasers
are more likely to use numerous devices,
including smartphones, high-definition TVs,
netbooks, 3-D TVs and eBook readers.
Tablet purchasers are also heavy users of
the technologies they own. They are more
likely to do a large variety of technology-
based activities, download more apps and
utilize more cloud services than those who
are not tablet purchasers.
More specifically, they:
• Conductawiderrangeofactivitiesonthe
electronic devices they own, especially
tweeting/microblogging, downloading
apps, emailing from their mobile devices
and reading electronic books.
• Utilizemorecloud-enabledonline
services, more specifically streaming
movies and TV shows, data backup/
storage or online document creation.
• Morefrequentlydownloadappsand
currently use a wider variety of
apps, especially those involving
leisure activities, fitness and health,
or traveling.

As they attempt to fulfill their “app-
etite,” tablet purchasers are not loyal to
any one source for downloads. A higher
proportion of tablet purchasers download
apps from all sources, including device
manufacturers, software providers’ app
stores, websites and wireless provider/
telecom companies’ app stores.
In summary, our data shows tablet owners
to be significant spenders on consumer
electronics of all kinds and aggressive
users of a variety of apps from a variety
of sources. This group could present
significant opportunity for targeted
marketing and cross-sell/up-sell initiatives.
Learning from the Early Adopters:
Tablet Computer Purchasers
A deeper analysis of the interests and behaviors of consumers owning or intending to own a
tablet computer within the next 12 months (whom we refer to as tablet purchasers) shows
they have a voracious appetite for the use of all forms of technology and applications.
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0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%
Fitness and health
Leisure activities
Education
Personal organization
Traveling

Shopping
Work related
Financials
Navigation
Entertainment
Networking
Information
18-34 years
35+ years
Global
Are you using any of the following types of apps?

Currently use:
Use of apps in at
least one category
94%
93%
Ubiquitous
“App-etite”
With the quest for mobility comes the
quest for apps. Increasing adoption of
smartphones and tablets is causing rapid
uptake in mobile media consumption, and
64 percent of consumers now download
apps. Among this group, 49 percent have
downloaded apps at least once a week in
the past 12 months. Younger consumers
are downloading more apps than older
consumers and do so more frequently.
Fifty-five percent of younger consumers

have downloaded apps at least once a
week in the past 12 months, compared
with 44 percent of older consumers.
Information apps (such as news, sports or
weather) are the most mature app category
among consumers who have downloaded
apps, followed by networking (social/
professional networks) and entertainment
(such as music, single or group games,
or videos) (Figure 8). Younger consumers
are more likely to use networking and
entertainment apps, while older consumers
lean toward financial apps and apps for
traveling. Regardless of age, the majority
of consumers (73 percent) who download
apps typically download those that are free.
Manufacturers’ and device software
providers’ app stores are the preferred
download locations (Figure 9), with far
fewer consumers currently downloading
apps from their wireless provider or
telecom company.
Figure 8: Types of Apps Used
Figure 9: Where Consumers Download Apps
Sample base: Respondents
who downloaded apps
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40%
I do not download apps
All of the above
Other independent app store (e.g., GetJar)

My wireless provider/telecom company's app store
The website of the company providing an app
related to their other products or services
(e.g., shopping mall, transport company)
I'm using and downloading apps, but I
am not exactly sure from which source
Device software provider's app store
Device manufacturer's app store
(Apple, Samsung, etc.)
Where do you usually go to download apps?
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Emerging markets in aggregate show a
continued thirst for the latest technologies,
as they lead the growth in ownership and
purchase intent for many newer types
of devices. With the exception of India,
consumers in urban areas of emerging
markets have spent a greater percentage
of their annual income on consumer
electronics devices in the past 12 months
than have those in mature markets (Figure
10). Chinese urban consumers, already
allocating the largest share of their income
toward consumer technology, plan to
slightly increase this share again in the
coming year.
Figure 10: Spending on Consumer Electronics

Where in the World?
Globalization and the Ongoing Shift in Purchasing Patterns
Along with greater ownership of the latest
consumer electronics, younger consumers
in every country but China spent a greater
percentage of their income on consumer
electronics in the past 12 months than
did their older counterparts. In South
Africa, for example, younger consumers
spent 2.8 percent of income on consumer
electronics purchases compared with older
consumers, who spent 2.3 percent.
Male
Gender
Female
0 1000020000 30000 40000 50000 60000 70000 80000
0 300 600 900 1200 1500
Japan
United States
Sweden
Germany
France
India
South Africa
Brazil
China
Russia
1.3%
1.8%
1.9%

2.0%
2.0%
1.9%
2.6%
3.8%
4.5%
3.6%
1,056
998
1,011
1,005
941
867
940
1,135
1,291
1,006
79,226
54,134
52,336
49,420
47,398
46,309
36,681
29,694
28,977
27,752
In the past 12 months, approximately how much have you spent on purchasing consumer electronics, such
as the ones listed previously?
Average spend vs. average annual income in the past 12 months:

Average Spend (USD): Average Income (USD):
Share of average
annual income spent:
Sample base: Respondents who purchased electronic devices
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Figure 11: Use of Tablets Personally and Professionally
So what newer electronics are driving
increased spending within emerging
markets? Different preferences exist
across countries.
• Smartphones: More urban consumers in
South Africa have smartphones than any
other country. For instance, 75 percent of
urban South Africans own smartphones,
compared with 20 percent of consumers
in Japan. While demand for smartphones
is certainly strong in South Africa, Russia
had the greatest growth in ownership
year-over-year, reporting 34 percent
growth in those who own smartphones
since 2010.
• Tablet computers: Tablets for personal
and professional use are important
across all urban emerging markets. China
has the greatest ownership percentage
(27 percent), while Brazil, China and
India have the greatest purchase

intentions for tablets in the next 12
months, citing its portability (relative
to a laptop) and its status as the latest
innovation in consumer electronics as
reasons for their purchase. Perhaps most
interesting, consumers in emerging
countries are using tablet computers
much more often for professional use—
in several cases three times as much
as mature countries. In Brazil, South
Africa and India, in particular, tablets are
used extensively for both personal and
professional reasons (Figure 11).
• High-definition and 3-D TVs: Japan
has the highest ownership percentage
for high-definition TVs, but India had
the greatest year-over-year percentage
increase in ownership of these devices.
Russia had the greatest share of its
population owning a 3-D TV, as well as
the most increase in ownership year-
over-year. Interestingly, 3-D TVs appear
to be most important in South Africa.
That country has, by far, the highest
power ranking for 3-D TVs at 855
percent—perhaps influenced by a massive
3-D TV advertising campaign initiated
for the 2010 FIFA World Cup soccer
tournament and still ongoing. Even for
TVs, Internet connectivity is a driver of

purchase plans. In Brazil, Russia, China
and India, more than 30 percent of
consumers reported that connectivity is
a reason for buying a new TV.
Once they own devices, consumers in
emerging markets also use their devices
extensively. A higher proportion of
consumers in emerging markets (such as
China, Russia and South Africa) than in
mature markets (such as Germany and
Japan) are conducting activities weekly
on their devices. To do these activities,
emerging-market consumers are much
more often downloading free apps than
paid apps. And they are taking advantage
of online services more often than their
mature-market counterparts. Urban
consumers in China, India and Brazil are
the largest users of online services (from
online mailboxes to online data storage,
photos/video storage and document
creation), with Russia and South Africa
close behind.
Mainly personal
Mainly professional
Both
0%
20%
40%
60%

80%
100%
120%
BrazilSouth AfricaIndiaRussiaAverageUnited
States
FranceSwedenChinaGermanyJapan
94%
1%
76% 72% 68% 67% 61% 54% 47% 37% 35% 33%
3%
2%
4%
3%
6%
5%
8%
6%
5%
6%
5%
21%
26% 28% 30% 33% 41% 45% 57% 60% 61%
Do you use/consider using your tablet computer for personal or professional usage or both?
Sample base: Respondents owning or planning to purchase a tablet PC in the next 12 months
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While consumer electronics retailers remain
the dominant choice for purchasing new

devices, other channels (namely other retail
stores and online) have made significant
inroads in the past five years. Fifty-six
percent of consumers made purchases
only in a physical retail channel last year,
compared with 20 percent who purchased
only from an online channel (24 percent
bought from both).
Just over half (51 percent) of consumers
making purchases last year, did so at a
consumer electronics retailer’s store. The
consumer electronics retail store is highly
favored for purchases in Russia, Japan
and China (Figure 12)—in these countries,
more than 60 percent of those making
purchases chose electronics retailers for
Figure 12: Purchase Made at Consumer Electronics Retailer
their purchases. The preference for the
physical store does not vary by age group,
suggesting younger consumers have the
same need to touch, feel and test products
as older generations do.
Nonetheless, other channels (namely other
retail stores and online channels) have
made significant inroads. Twenty-four
percent bought at other retailers such as
department stores and discounters, while
23 percent bought from a manufacturer’s
branded store and 18 percent made
purchases at a telecommunication service

provider’s store. Consumer electronics
retailers’ investments in their Web presence
are also bearing fruit. Eighteen percent of
consumers purchased from an eCommerce
pure-play, while 14 percent purchased
from the website of a brick-and-mortar
consumer electronics retailer.
Multichannel Purchasing Is Preferred
While the desire to test and touch products
remains a strong influence on where
consumers purchase new technologies,
a multichannel experience ultimately
drives greater sales success. Numerous
studies have shown that even if consumers
ultimately buy products in a store, many
research products online prior to making
their in-store purchases.
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
GermanyFranceUnited
States
IndiaSouth
Africa

AverageBrazilSwedenChinaJapanRussia
36%
38%
43%
47%
48%
51%
53%
55%
61%
63%
65%
In the last 12 months, where did you make your consumer electronics purchases?
Purchases made at a physical store:
Physical store – consumer electronics retailer (i.e., specialized electronics store that carries many brands)
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The data in this survey paints a picture of
consumers around the world striving to get
and stay connected wherever they are via
mobile technologies, abundant app choices
and a growing set of service alternatives
from the cloud. The era of hypermobility
has numerous implications for consumer
electronics companies as they work to
capture the greatest share of wallet among
their target customers.
For instance, the younger consumer is

eager to spend, especially on newer and
mobile technologies, and particularly in
emerging markets. But our research also
shows that while older consumers plan
to buy fewer devices, they will spend in
aggregate almost as much money next
year as younger consumers—forming
potentially highly profitable segments for
providers to target.
Additionally, while emerging markets
lead the growth of many consumer
technologies, these markets are not
uniform in consumers’ device purchase
and use. The consumer base and buyer
values are fragmented due to demographics
(especially age and geography), social
factors and more. Thus, companies must be
careful to target unique customer segments
based on their behavior and preferences
and not as a single “emerging market.”
With consumers highly valuing increased
mobility, the cloud is an important
component of manufacturers’ portfolios
of content, applications and more.
As consumers switch to cloud-based
services, manufacturers should consider
adding entertainment services to their
portfolio to capitalize on the high use
and growth opportunity this category
represents. Furthermore, they should make

it easy for consumers to switch between
devices (such as having a common
user interface) as consumers become
increasingly device-agnostic in their daily
technology-based activities.
The mobile apps market likely will develop
in different ways in various regions based
on factors such as smartphone penetration,
smartphone platforms and operator
Taking Action on the Trends
strategies. But one thing is clear: Consumers
have come to expect everything to be
“appified” and will increasingly seek new
apps to help organize and manage their
Internet access and mobile experience.
Furthermore, almost half of tablet owners
globally are using tablets to some extent
for professional use. This is despite the
fact that large corporations are struggling
with issues of security, integration into
existing IT environments, user support and
more. As consumers increasingly use tablet
computers in the workplace, enterprise app
development for smartphone and tablets
will become a bigger necessity, not to
mention a new source of potential revenue.
Finally, profitable product portfolios
will have a focus on devices that meet
consumers’ preference for mobility, from
smartphones to tablets, while extending

other categories such as the PC with
new form factors (e.g., ultrabooks) and
televisions with “connected” experiences.
Conclusion
In the past five years, Accenture’s Consumer Electronics Study has confirmed consumers’ love
affair with electronic devices. And as innovations in such technology continue, it doesn’t appear
that this affection will fade anytime soon. In fact, with mobility now the latest consumer
technology darling, providers of related devices and content enjoy a booming market that shows
no signs of slowing, at least in the foreseeable future.
In fact, as consumers connect in multiple ways across multiple devices, and consume more
content via cloud services and ubiquitous apps, consumer electronics providers are challenged
to keep pace. Leading providers will need to combine continual innovations in products, cloud
services and application offerings with sophisticated targeting of profitable consumer segments
to win the hearts and wallets of today’s hypermobile consumers.
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Appendix:
Additional Charts of Interest
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Sample base: Total sample
Which of the following consumer electronics do you currently own?
Of the consumer electronics you currently own, please rank the top 5 that you use most often.
Which of the following consumer electronics do you plan to purchase in the next 12 months?
Ranking from 1 to 5
Japan

Sweden
Germany
France
United States
Russia
South Africa
India
China
Brazil
33%
33%
43%
22% 26%
15%
37% 19% 26%
12%
38%
20%
24% 14%
35% 18% 20% 11%
34%
23% 23% 7%
30%
21% 18% 9%
27%
22% 23% 22%
28%
17% 16% 15%
35%
19% 22%

10%
18%
13% 12%
4%
30%
17% 13%
7%
19% 13% 10%
5%
25%
15% 11% 6%
16%
11% 7%
4%
25%
21% 8% 5%
19%
14%
5%
4%
20% 11% 4%
5%
13%
10% 3% 3%
16%
17%
30%
31%
22%
20%

Smartphones Computers Tablet Computers Netbooks
18-34 years
35+ years
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
3-D TV
eBook reader
Portable gaming device
Digital video camera
Blu-ray player
Tablet PC
Health and fitness device
DVR
Netbook
GPS
Game console
Portable music player
DVD player
Regular TV
Mobile phone
High-definition TV
Smartphone
Digital photo camera
Computer
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
86%
51%
50%
49%
49%
37%

26%
18%
15%
14%
11%
10%
10%
7%
8%
6%
6%
3%
3%
90%
75%
53%
54%
58%
50%
58%
38%
33%
32%
19%
23%
28%
12%
15%
24%
20%

8%
5%
Top-5 most-used devices
Total ownership
Figure A: Consumer Electronics Used Most Often
Figure B: Country-Specific Purchase Plans for Selected Devices
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Figure C: Motivations for Purchasing a Tablet Computer
Figure D: Consumer Electronics Purchase Locations
0 10 20 30 40 50
60
Online - other retailer website (e.g., walmart.com)
Online – communication service provider website (e.g., verizon.com)
Online – manufacturer's website (e.g., apple.com)
Online – consumer electronics retailer website (e.g., bestbuy.com)
Online – eCommerce website (e.g., Amazon, eBay, overstock.com)
Physical store – other (e.g., supermarket, department
store, general merchandise store such as Wal-Mart or
Costco, home improvement store such as Home Depot)
Physical store – communications service provider store
(e.g., AT&T, British Telecom)
Physical store – manufacturer's branded store
(e.g., Apple store, Sony store, Nokia store)
Physical store – consumer electronics retailer
(i.e., specialized electronics store that carries many brands)
Purchase
made at a

physical store
Purchase
made online
51%
23%
18%
24%
18%
14%
9%
6%
8%
In the last 12 months, where did you make your consumer electronics purchases?
What main reasons have motivated/are motivating your choice to purchase a tablet computer?
Is more portable than a laptop
Is the latest innovation in consumer electronics devices
Is more functional than a mobile phone
Provides an additional computing device in the home
at a lower cost than a desktop or laptop
Is replacing your current desktop or laptop
Is quicker to start than a desktop or laptop
Is easy to use for the whole family
Is more fun to use than a desktop/laptop
Is less expensive than a desktop/laptop
Enables you to use more apps than a desktop/laptop
Is considered as trendy by your family and friends
Is replacing a netbook
Is replacing an e-reader
58%
34%

32%
28%
24%
18%
16%
15%
9%
9%
7%
7%
6%
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
Sample base: Respondents owning or planning to purchase a tablet PC in the next 12 months
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Figure E: Frequency of Conducting Activities on Consumer Electronics
0 20 40 60 80 100
Online shopping/eCommerce
Using maps and global positioning; getting directions
Managing personal digital photos and videos
Downloading and using new apps on my smartphone or tablet computer
Paying in a store for a good or service with my electronic device
Online banking
Managing my health or that of family members
Educational activities
Watching shows/movies/videos on my smartphone
Watching shows/movies/videos on my PC
Watching streaming video on my TV

Reading electronic books
Playing games
Participating in communities of interest on the Internet
Emailing from my mobile device
Tweeting/microblogging
Listening to music
Connecting with people/playing games on social networking sites
Texting/SMS/MMS
Watching broadcast or cable shows/movies/videos on TV
Emailing from my PC
Working from home
Searching for/reading general news and information on the Internet
Once per day
Several times a day
31%
28%
21%
31%
15%
26%
23%
25%
18%
29%
27%
23%
21%
22%
17%
19%

16%
17%
10%
9%
10%
9%
6%
53%
50%
56%
43%
59%
46%
45%
39%
44%
30%
29%
21%
19%
17%
21%
15%
13%
7%
10%
10%
9%
9%
5%

29%
34%
39%
40%
43%
56%
59%
62%
65%
68%
72%
73%
74%
77%
84%
11%
18%
19%
19%
20%
78%
24%
38%
Please indicate approximately how frequently you conduct each of the following activities in a typical week?
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Figure G: Behavior Changes Resulting from Using Online Services
Figure F: Use of Selected Apps by Country

18-34 years
35+ years
Has your use of these online services changed your behavior in any of the following ways?
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
No change in behavior
Stopped/almost stopped using
productivity applications on my PC
Terminated/considered terminating
regular cable TV subscription
Stopped/almost stopped downloading
movies to your devices
Stopped/almost stopped downloading
music to your devices
Access your personal content
from more devices than before
Access your personal content
from more locations than before
Share more personal content
with your family/friends
Stopped/almost stopped
renting or buying DVDs
38%
27%
29%
23%
26%
17%
24%
14%
18%

12%
17%
12%
16%
9%
9%
6%
33%
51%
Sample base: Respondents who use online services
Sample base: Respondents who download apps
Are you using any of the following types of apps?
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80
United States
Information Networking Entertainment Navigation Financials
Apps currently used: Country comparison on Top 5 apps
Sample base: Respondents who download apps
Japan
Germany
France
Sweden
Average
Brazil
Russia
India
China
South Africa
68%
78%
63%

70%
64%
69%
70%
74%
69%
64%
75%
76%
68%
61%
57%
70%
58%
55%
39%
44%
27%
57%
55%
73%
64%
47%
61%
56%
55%
50%
43%
42%
58%

59%
58%
36%
57%
52%
54%
62%
60%
53%
56%
58%
55%
66%
43%
48%
40%
47%
44%
45%
26%
41%
41%
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All rights reserved.
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are trademarks of Accenture.
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year ended Aug. 31, 2011. Its home page
is www.accenture.com.
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please contact your Accenture representative.