This report covers the screen device market and the impact of screen devices on consumers in detail. Examining smartphones, computer monitors, tablets, and more, this report looks at how screens and devices with screens are used by consumers, consumer preferences and attitudes, and how brands can best appeal to current consumer trends and demands.
Below, we’ve summarised the key topics analysed in this report, and offer some handpicked insights.
Key Topics Analysed
- Sales trends of screen devices, what’s driving the market, and key brands across device segments.
- How often consumers multi-screen, why, and what activities are conducted on primary and secondary screens.
- The top features that screen device shoppers look for on store shelves.
- Why advertisers need to adapt to deal with both fuzzy ad targeting and tech overload.
- Attitudes toward screen use and how parents feel about their children’s screen habits.
US Screen Device Market Overview
US spending on screen-based tech has seen tremendous growth over the past five years, with sales of computers/tablets, TVs and phones increasing an estimated 48%, compared to just 28% for total consumer spending. This strong growth is expected to continue as consumers become more reliant on screens, however the market is unlikely to sustain the same level of growth in 2023 and beyond.
Consumer Trends for Screen-Based Tech
Smaller screens are preferred
Consumers are increasingly favoring smaller screens, like smartphone screens, over larger screens like TVs. This is likely due to content creators and media brands designing digital content for smaller screens, as well as consumers preferring shorter videos and personalised content that they can control with a swipe of their finger.
Increase in multi-screening
Consumers, especially 18-34 year olds, are increasingly engaging in multi-screening for efficiency, productivity, and sometimes even distraction. These behaviours can help businesses to reach consumers if their digital content is optimised for multiple devices.
Looking to the Future of Screens
AI assistants are likely heading to screen devices soon. Tech giants that utilise AI technology will be able to connect brands and consumers effectively to streamline people’s lives, and this will likely start with integrating AI with common apps, providing better assistance and user experience.
Beyond AI, as demands for the right to repair grow worldwide, if legislation is passed this could have a significant and far-reaching impact. These new laws could bring more transparency to the mobile industry, reduce electronic waste, and potentially create more job opportunities for repair technicians.
With this report, you’ll gain access to a complete breakdown of the screen devices industry, and how consumers are interacting with screens in 2023. You may also be interested in our US Smartphones 2023 Market Report, or our Tech Trends 2023 Report.
Products and Brands Discussed
Products: Televisions, smartphones, tablets, and PC/laptop computer monitors are covered.
Brands: A number of brands are discussed in this report with, for example, consumer statistics on ownership of brands like Samsung, LG, Vizio, Sony, TCL, Hisense, Apple, Google, Motorola, Dell, Lenovo, Microsoft, HP, and more.
Additional Features Included in Your Report
Different Digital Formats: PDF for conveniently sharing with your team, PowerPoint for quickly including in your presentation, as well as an Infographic and an Excel Databook.
Mintel’s Clients Portal: Our portal offers instant access to actionable analysis and trends pieces relevant to your industry that are published almost daily. You can also browse for more market research reports.
Expert Analysis from a Tech Specialist
This report, written by Brian Benway, a leading tech and entertainment analyst, delivers in-depth commentary and analysis to highlight current trends in the screen device market, adding expert context to the numbers.
Screen device technologies are constantly evolving, but content and use cases that take advantage of these capabilities often lag behind. Businesses need to stay up to date to remain competitive and to avoid overextending themselves chasing fleeting gimmicks.
Brian Benway
Gaming and Entertainment Analyst
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Overview
- What you need to know
- This Report looks at the following areas
- Definition
- Market context
- What you need to know
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Executive Summary
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- Top takeaways
- Consumer trends
- Smaller screens are often the primary
- Figure 1: Display devices used in the past three months and primary/secondary screens, 2023
- Multi-screening for efficiency and productivity – and distraction
- Figure 2: Select multi-screening reasons, by age, 2023
- Ads may push some to multi-screen, but could present a new AR opportunity
- Figure 3: Top multi-screening activities – NET of any screen, 2023
- While burnout is a concern, multi-screeners are heavy tech and content consumers
- Figure 4: Attitudes toward tech overload with screens, by frequency of second screening, 2023
- Competitive strategies
- Market predictions
- Figure 5: Total US retail sales of screen devices, at current prices, 2017-22
- Figure 6: Outlook for screen technology, 2023-28
- Opportunities
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Market Value Indicators
- Growth driven by computers/tablets and TVs, phones stagnate
- Figure 7: Total US retail sales of screen devices, by segment, at current prices, 2017-22
- Figure 8: Total US retail sales of TVs, phones, and computers/tablets, by segment, at current prices, 2017-22
- Lack of perceptible innovation, uncertain economy delays phone upgrades
- Figure 9: Device purchase intent in the next 12 months, 2021-23
- Growth driven by computers/tablets and TVs, phones stagnate
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Market Drivers
- Increasing use and dependency on screens in daily life
- Figure 10: Display devices used in the past three months and primary/secondary screens, 2023
- Are screens driving up the costs and dangers of cars?
- Figure 11: The New EQS: MBUX and Hyperscreen, 2022
- Distracted drivers and safety issues haven’t prompted regulation on screens – yet
- OLEDs eco-friendliness is noteworthy, yet debatable
- Right to repair forces manufacturers to fix their busted views
- Increasing use and dependency on screens in daily life
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Key Players and Screen Tech Trends
- Apple and Samsung’s dominance in the display screen market
- Figure 12: Top TV, smartphone, computer and tablet brands, 2021-23
- Samsung’s market leadership in television technology
- Figure 13: TV brands purchased, 2021-23
- LED dominates screen types while 4K holds a lead in tech features
- Figure 14: TV features, kinds, screen sizes purchased, 2021-23
- Exploring the interplay between age and television device preferences
- Figure 15: Change in frequency of watching TV programs on different devices, by age and gender, 2021-23
- Apple and Samsung’s dominance in the display screen market
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Competitive Strategies and Market Opportunities
- Facial recognition and eye tracking could change the TV experience
- Exploring the possibilities of AR in live sports broadcasts
- Samsung leads foldable screen tech for now, but is it innovation or gimmick?
- Figure 16: Google Pixel Fold, Instagram, 2023
- Balancing consumer interest and technology development
- Figure 17: Smartphone formats of interest, 2022
- Exploitation of multi-screening viewers through “sludge content”
- Figure 18: Subway surfers sludge content TikTok, 2023
- Facial recognition and eye tracking could change the TV experience
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Fast Facts – Screen Device Consumer
- Device usage and multi-screening is universal
- Multi-screening reasons could be distracting or enhancing
- Multi-screening activities are all about maximizing limited time
- Screen purchase drivers aren’t just about the newest buzz
- Screen tech interests show most adults get the picture with 4Ks
- Display device preferences show quality beats size for shoppers
- Attitudes show consumers see both value and concerns for screen tech
- Device usage and multi-screening is universal
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Devices Used and Multi-screening Habits
- Multi-screening: The Good, The Bad and the Ugly Truth?
- Reaching the right target audience is more difficult than ever
- Tailor ads to the device, not just the viewer
- Irrelevant ad overload may be feeding multi-screening behavior
- Figure 19: Display devices used in the past three months and frequency of second screening, 2023
- Since the majority multi-screen, let’s zoom in on those who don’t
- Figure 20: Multi-screening habits, by demographics, 2023
- From leading man to bit player: TV is becoming background noise
- Figure 21: Primary and secondary screen use, 2023
- Multi-screening: The Good, The Bad and the Ugly Truth?
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Multi-screening Reasons
- Multi-screening is instant gratification driven by human nature
- Figure 22: Multi-screening reasons, 2023
- Reach distracted viewers using a “less is more” approach
- Figure 23: Multi-screening reasons, by frequency of second screening, 2023
- Multi-screening isn’t always about being distracted
- Figure 24: Multi-screening reasons, by gender and age, 2023
- Implications of multi-screening among young adults
- Figure 25: Frequency of multi-screening [Often], Reasons for multi-screening [Difficulty focusing], by age, 2023
- Multi-screening is instant gratification driven by human nature
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Multi-screening Activities
- If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em; working with multi-screening behavior
- Figure 26: Multi-screening activities – Primary, secondary screen and NET of any screen, 2023
- Ad-supported streaming may result in viewer disengagement
- Figure 27: Multi-screening activities – NET of any screen, by gender and age, 2023
- A closer look at multi-screening by financial situation
- Figure 28: Multi-screening activities – NET of any screen, by financial situation, 2023
- If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em; working with multi-screening behavior
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Screen Purchase Drivers
- Increasing demand for eco-friendly solutions to e-waste
- Figure 29: Screen purchase drivers, 2023
- Prioritizing Black and Hispanic buyers with picture and connectivity tech
- Figure 30: Screen purchase drivers, by race and Hispanic origin, 2023
- Make it even easier for dads to compare products and they may gift more
- Figure 31: Screen purchase drivers, by parental status and gender, 2023
- Increasing demand for eco-friendly solutions to e-waste
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Screen Tech Interests
- It may take head-to-head comparison to help consumers get the 4K picture
- Figure 32: Screen tech interests – Ranked, 2023
- 4K is picture perfect resolution for most budgets
- Figure 33: Screen tech interests – Any rank, by household income, 2023
- Unfurling the benefits of new screen materials
- Figure 34: Screen tech interests, by parental status and gender, 2023
- It may take head-to-head comparison to help consumers get the 4K picture
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Display Device Preferences
- Resolution and personal enjoyment beats size and productivity
- Figure 35: Display device preferences, 2023
- Younger consumers are, in general, less brand loyal screen shopping
- Figure 36: Display device preferences, brand loyalty and screen priorities, by age, 2023
- Aim for maximum quality in screen-based devices across budgets
- Figure 37: Display device preferences, quality and resolution, by household income, 2023
- Resolution and personal enjoyment beats size and productivity
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Attitudes toward Children’s Habits with Screens
- Peer group influences shape children’s demands for technology
- Figure 38: Attitudes toward children’s habits with screens, by race and Hispanic origin, 2023
- Revolutionizing learning through augmented reality TV
- Figure 39: Attitudes toward children’s habits with screens, by parental status and gender, 2023
- Peer group influences shape children’s demands for technology
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Attitudes toward Time Spent with Screens
- Higher-income households see the dangers of digital eye strain
- Figure 40: Attitudes toward time spent with screens, by household income, 2023
- Marketing industry resilience will outlast human tolerance for marketing
- Figure 41: Attitudes toward time spent with screens, by area, 2023
- Higher-income households see the dangers of digital eye strain
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Attitudes toward Tech Overload
- Unlocking innovation for tech-savvy content consumers
- Figure 42: Attitudes toward tech overload with screens, by frequency of second screening, 2023
- Tackling the fear factor for tech enthusiasts
- Figure 43: Attitudes toward tech overload with screens, by gender and age, 2023
- Unlocking innovation for tech-savvy content consumers
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Appendix – Data Sources and Abbreviations
- Data sources
- Sales data
- Consumer survey data
- Abbreviations and terms
- Abbreviations
- Terms
- Data sources
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Appendix – The Market
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- Figure 44: Total US retail sales of TVs, phones, and computers/tablets, at current prices, 2017-22
- Figure 45: Total US retails sale of TVs, phones, and computers/tablets, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2017-22
- Figure 46: Total US retail sales of TVs, phones, and computers/tablets, by segment, at current prices, 2017-22
- Figure 47: Total US retail sales of TVs, phones, and computers/tablets, by segment, at current prices, 2017-22
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- Figure 48: Total US retail sales of TVs, phones, and computers/tablets, by segment, at current prices, 2020 and 2022
- Figure 49: Total US retail sales of televisions, at current prices, 2017-22
- Figure 50: Total US retail sales of televisions, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2017-22
- Figure 51: Total US retail sales of phones, at current prices, 2017-22
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- Figure 52: Total US retail sales of phones, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2017-22
- Figure 53: Total US retail sales of computers/tablets, at current prices, 2017-22
- Figure 54: Total US retail sales of computers/tablets, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2017-22
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Appendix – The Consumer
- Devices used and multi-screening habits
- Figure 55: Display devices used in the past three months, 2023
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- Figure 56: Frequency of second screening, by gender and age, 2023
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- Figure 57: Frequency of second screening, by daily social media use, 2023
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- Figure 58: Primary and secondary screen use, by gender and age, 2023
- Multi-screening activities
- Figure 59: Multi-screening activities – Primary, secondary screen and sum of any screen, 2023
- Screen tech interests
- Figure 60: Screen tech interests, by frequency of second screening, 2023
- Attitudes toward children’s habits with screens
- Figure 61: Attitudes toward children’s habits with screens, 2023
- Attitudes toward time spent with screens
- Figure 62: Attitudes toward time spent with screens, 2023
- Attitudes toward tech overload from screens
- Figure 63: Attitudes toward tech overload from screens, 2023
- Devices used and multi-screening habits
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