This report looks at the following areas:
- Smartphone ownership, operating system, app usage and 5G connectivity
- Smartphone and other recent digital activities
- Ownership of devices across computing, gaming, TV and media
- Recent and planned purchases of technology devices
- Attitudes towards rising technology prices
With the spectre of price rises looming, mid-range devices will become more appealing. There will still be opportunities to target early adopters with premium products.
Joe Birch, Senior Technology and Leisure Analyst
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- Opportunities for the technology market
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SPECIAL FOCUS – CONSUMER ATTITUDES TOWARDS POTENTIAL TECHNOLOGY PRICE RISES
- Challenger brands could have an opportunity in tariff uncertainty
- Graph 1: attitudes towards rising prices of technology products, 2025
- Mid-range and previous year’s flagships can stand to benefit amidst higher prices
- Graph 2: attitudes towards technology brands and rising prices, 2025
- Consumers will look for durable and future-proofed products
- Graph 3: attitudes towards technology brands and rising prices, 2025
- For the hesitant purchaser, creative bundling can drive appeal
- Graph 4: attitudes towards technology brands and rising prices, 2025
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PURCHASING ACTIVITY
- Wireless earbuds see the largest purchase increase since April, while smartphones remain the key planned tech purchase
- Graph 5: technology products bought in the last three months, 2025
- Graph 6: plans to buy technology products in the next three months, 2025
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SMARTPHONES
- Smartphone ownership is near universal among under-65s
- Graph 7: smartphone ownership, by age, 2025
- 5G take-up
- 5G momentum continues, while Android sees further incremental gains
- Graph 8: 5G smartphone connectivity, 2022-25
- Graph 9: smartphone operating system, by generation, 2025
- Smartphone usage
- QR codes can drive personalised experiences
- Graph 10: smartphone activities in the last three months, 2025
- Gen Z’s screen shift: less is more in digital messaging
- Graph 11: cut down on screen time in the last three months, by generation, 2025
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WEARABLES
- Wireless over-ear headphones see jump in ownership as previous flagship models get significant discounts
- Graph 12: wearables ownership, 2024-25
- Men drive ownership of wearable technology
- Graph 13: wearables ownership, by gender. 2025
- Older consumers driving uptake in tracking exercise and diet
- Graph 14: use of devices to track exercise or diet in the last three months, by generation, 2025
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COMPUTERS
- Opportunity to encourage future-proofing as Windows 10 support ends
- Graph 15: computing device ownership, 2024-25
- Younger Brits are the biggest owners of hybrid laptops, but standard laptops still lead the way
- Graph 16: personal laptop ownership, by generation, 2025
- Graph 17: desktop computer in the household, by generation, 2025
- New AI-powered internet browser entrants will shake up the market
- Graph 18: internet browser usage, 2025
- AI will reshape web behaviour from ‘search’ to ‘do’ engines
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TV AND MEDIA DEVICES
- Say the word: smart speakers get the gen AI overhaul consumers have been waiting for
- Graph 19: media devices in the household, 2025
- Smart home will benefit from lower entry prices and greater utility of hardware
- Graph 20: use of smart home devices in the last three months, by generation, 2025
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GAMING
- Increase in games console ownership among Older Millennials
- Graph 21: household ownership of static games consoles, by generation, 2025
- Graph 22: personal ownership of portable games consoles, by generation, 2025
- Mobile gaming is being driven by older audiences
- Graph 23: played games on a smartphone in the last three months, by generation, 2025
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APPENDIX
- Abbreviations and terms
- Generations
- Consumer research methodology
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