The results of a study from ABI Research on the affects of age on technology use show an interesting, and perhaps somewhat unexpected trend. It's no shock to find that people age 65 and older are less likely to use things like Video on Demand (VOD) or game consoles than those between 18 and 25. What may surprise you is that people in the older demographic may be just as likely to adopt new technology once they try it out.
For example, the study found that although only 35% of people age 65 or higher have used VOD, compared to double that number between the ages of 25 and 29, in both cases those who use it once typically continue to use it at least once a month afterward.
The results for console use were even more surprising. While market penetration in the 18-25 demographic saw no growth over the last year, for those 65 and older there was a 200% increase. This may explain the trend toward increased gaming related sales offsetting falling home video revenue.
But there are still some technologies that don't show any signs of appealing to the older crowd. Video downloads, while popular with very young people, isn't showing any signs of popularity with even middle aged consumers.
According to ABI Research principal analyst Steve Wilson that's likely a result of inherent flaws with the process. He says “The lack of wide video download popularity in all but the youngest group can very likely be attributed to inconsistencies in the process, a result of the industry’s immaturity.”
The results for console use were even more surprising. While market penetration in the 18-25 demographic saw no growth over the last year, for those 65 and older there was a 200% increase. This may explain the trend toward increased gaming related sales offsetting falling home video revenue.
But there are still some technologies that don't show any signs of appealing to the older crowd. Video downloads, while popular with very young people, isn't showing any signs of popularity with even middle aged consumers.
According to ABI Research principal analyst Steve Wilson that's likely a result of inherent flaws with the process. He says “The lack of wide video download popularity in all but the youngest group can very likely be attributed to inconsistencies in the process, a result of the industry’s immaturity.”
