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HOME PC CONSUMPTION SHOWS MAJOR CHANGES
The home is the next major battleground for manufacturers
of personal computer and consumer electronics. This year, PC makers
have begun offering television with PCs inside, the first major innovation
in television in over 30 years.
Concurrently, consumers are being asked to buy more PCs and set top
boxes containing Internet access as well as cable television switching.
In late May Oracle Corp. of Redwood City, Calif. debuted the Network
Computer (NC) Reference Profile; the stage was set for hardware suppliers
to begin building screen phones, set-top boxes, NC televisions, portable
computers and desktop computers.
Just how anxious are consumers to buy new computing hardware? A recent
study by Computer Intelligence (CI), a Ziff-Davis Publishing Company
based in La Jolla, Calif. found consumers eager to buy new computer
hardware (see table).
The study found PC penetration among affluent buyers over 50%. It also
found first-time PC buyers are likely to be among modest income families
with children. Finally, purchases made by the latter group tended to
be used equipment not new.
Households with children are nearly 45% as likely to have PCs as are
households without children. However, the number of children had little
affect on the purchase.
In households with incomes above $35,000 new PC penetration ranged from
2% to 15%, less than average, while penetration in segments below $35,000
grew at a more rapid 20% and up.
Amid affluent households with over $45,000 incomes, 57% already own
PCs. Sales to this segment have gone more to replace existing systems
than first time buyers. This trend has occurred steadily says the market
research firm. First-time purchases dropped from 48% in 1993, to 45%
in 1994, and to 43% last year.
One phenomenon uncovered in this latest research is the increased purchase
of used computers. Just under 30% of 1995 first-time buyers bought used
PCs, a big jump from the 19% seen in 1994.
CI believes some of the PCs replaced by businesses in the massive upgrade
drive that took place during 1995 wound up in homes. Buyers of these
used PCs are more likely to represent lower household income categories,
and are more likely to be first-time buyers.
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| Recent PC Penetration
In The Home By Year |
| U.S. Home PC |
Penetration By Year |
| Year End 1993 |
25.70% |
| Year End 1994 |
33.10% |
| Year End 1995 |
38.50% |
| Source: CI's Consumer Technology Index,
1996 |
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