Tech Giants: Comprehensive Service Providers of Interconnected Experiences for Consumers

The rise of tech giants as key players in devices, software, and services has created seamless touchpoints throughout the home, integrating everything from smart appliances to entertainment systems.

This pervasive connectivity generates an incredible amount of user-generated data, providing deep insights into consumer behavior and preferences. By leveraging this data, these companies, namely — Amazon, Apple, Google, and Samsung — can personalize experiences, optimize product offerings, and drive innovation across their ecosystems and even connect with other key brands.

In the end, platforms are a driving force for both consumer electronics and entertainment. The platform serves as the central software connection point, enabling integration and interaction between devices while also offering significant monetization opportunities through data-driven services and personalized user experiences.

New for 2024, Parks Associates improved upon the Consumer Electronics Dashboard to create the Tech Ecosystem Dashboard, illustrating the power of brand ecosystems and the convergence of consumer electronics devices with entertainment.

Check out a few highlights from this consumer study of 8,004 heads-of-internet households in the United States. The survey is demographically representative of internet households for the full 8,004 survey results as well as for each ~4,000-sample sub-group. Demographic quotas are set for age, gender, household income, and education. This survey fielded between 03/21/2024 and 4/4/2024. Insights from Sarah Lee, Ph.D. Research Analyst, Parks Associates.

Brand Perceptions and CE Device Purchases

Consumers love their technology.

Households are most familiar with Amazon. Consumers feel they understand what the company does and that the products and services are easy to use more than they feel the same for other brands. Amazon makes products that are easy to use as well as services that consumers enjoy, at a fair price.

Amazon and Google offer services that consumers like, at a price point they find value in. Interestingly, Apple presents as company focused on privacy-first, but consumers feel that protection is on par with the other brands. Samsung is perceived as a company that makes good products that are also worth the price.

Amazon makes products that are easy to use and services that consumers enjoy, at a price point that is worth it.

Amazon and Google offer services that consumers like, at a price point they find value in. Interestingly, Apple presents as company focused on privacy-first, but consumers feel that protection is on par with the other brands. Samsung is perceived to make good products. Households are most familiar with Amazon; consumers feel they understand what the company does and that the products and services are easy to use more than they feel the same for other brands.

The most popular smart TV operating system is Samsung’s Tizen followed by LG’s Web OS.

Samsung endures as the most popular brand of smart TV that consumers purchased this year, as well as the years prior. However, compared to 2020, the brand is slightly losing favorability as other operating systems capture more of the now remaining share.

Nevertheless, Samsung’s wide range of products at various price points and retailers, large app library, and easy to use interface keep the company as a consistent primary competitor. Other brands are following suit, and it is paying off.

Note. This chart shows the primary operating system for smart TVs only.

Windows-based computers, including both desktops and laptops, are the predominant choice for consumers; Apple is second with almost 20% of consumer-reported market share.

47% of US internet households report owing a desktop computer. Among those households with a PC, over half report using a windows-based PC most often; 19% own and use an Apple PC most often.

Note. The PC category includes both desktop and laptop computers

This is an excerpt from Parks Associates research service, Tech Ecosystem Dashboard. For more information, visit www.parksassoiates.com or contact me or any of our team for info on how to access our research.

Consumer Insights Dashboards present survey-based consumer research that tracks movement of foundational market metrics, such as product or service adoption, household spending intentions, churn, and key tracking metrics on leading industry players.        

Parks Associates surveys 5,000-8,000 U.S internet households every quarter, with additional surveys fielded throughout the year.The households surveyed represent the national demographics for US internet households, 92% of all US households.   

The Tech Ecosystem Dashboard visualizes the most important metrics informing the strategic decision making of companies connected to the leading consumer electronics devices in the home. 

Consumer Electronics Adoption and Purchase Trends

•Total Average Number of Connected Devices Per US Internet Household

•Total Average Number of Connected CE Devices by Technology Adoption Segment

•Historical Adoption Trends of Consumer Electronics Products

•Consumer Electronics Products Purchased in the Last 6 Months

•Consumer Electronics Devices Purchase Intention

Top 9 CE Device Adoption by Brand

•Historical Adoption Trends for Top 9 Consumer Electronics Products: Smartphone, Tablet, Smart TV, Streaming Media Player, PC (Laptop, Desktop), Smart Speaker, Smart Display, Gaming Console, Smart Watch

•Trends in Adoption of Top 9 Consumer Electronics Products

•Brand Share of Consumer Electronics Products

Consumer Electronics: OS and Brand Leaders 

•OS Adoption for PC, Smartphone, Smart TV, Streaming Media Player, Smart Speaker, Smart Display, Smart Watch, and Gaming Console

Net Promoter Scores for CE Categories 

•NPS for CE Devices: Smartphone, Tablet, Smart TV, Streaming Media Player, Laptop, Desktop, Smart Speaker, Smart Display, Gaming Console, Smart Watch

•NPS for CE Devices by Major Brands: Apple, Amazon, Google, Samsung

Competitor Moves: Brand Share in Select Categories

•Brand Perception by Ecosystem

•Top Brands of Smartphone Purchased or Received

•Top Brands of Tablet Purchased or Received

•Top Brands of Smart TV Purchased or Received

•Top Brands of Streaming Media Player Purchased or Received

•Top Brands of Laptop Purchased or Received

•Top Brands of Desktop PC Purchased or Received

•Top Brands of Smart Speaker Purchased or Received

•Top Brands of Smart Display Purchased or Received

•Top Brands of Wireless Earbuds Purchased or Received

•Top Brands of Wireless Headphones Purchased or Received

•Top Brands of Gaming Console Purchased or Received

•Top Brands of Smart Watch Purchased or Received

•Top Brands of Smart Tags Purchased or Received

Overview of Brand Loyalists

•Overall Brand Loyalists

•Brand Loyalist by Technology Adoption Segment

•Apple Loyalist Device Adoption

•Apple Loyalist Demographic Breakdown

•Amazon Loyalist Device Adoption

•Amazon Loyalist Demographic Breakdown

•Google Loyalist Device Adoption

•Google Loyalist Demographic Breakdown

•Samsung Loyalist Device Adoption

•Samsung Loyalist Demographic Breakdown

Primary Streaming Devices

•Primary Streaming Video Device

•Primary Smart TV Operating System

•Primary Connected TV Platform

Appendix