Digital Trends Quarterly: AI and Automation - UK - April 2018

OVERVIEW
What you need to know
Covered in this Report
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Personal Technology
Recent purchasing trends provide cause for optimism in a saturated smartphone market
Figure 1: Ownership of mobile phones, January 2012-December 2017
March of the smartwatches continues
Figure 2: Ownership of wearable devices, November 2014-December 2017
Household Technology
Computer market remains flat, with cut-throat competition for replacement buyers
Figure 3: Household ownership of computers, January 2012-December 2017
One in six have now gone 4K…
Figure 4: Household ownership of HD and Ultra HD 4K televisions, July 2016-December 2017
Voice speaker ownership up to one in 10, and VR makes inroads
Figure 5: Ownership of voice-controlled speakers and VR headsets, December 2017
Online activities
Online activity sees winter bump
Figure 6: Online activities done in the last three months on any device*, June 2017 and December 2017
Special Focus: AI and Automation
Weight of opinion balanced against personalisation
Figure 7: Interest in personalised recommendations, December 2017
Voice-controlled speaker growth helping accustom people to AI
Figure 8: Likelihood of using automated products or services, December 2017
PERSONAL TECHNOLOGY – HEADLINE DATA
Ownership of mobile phones
Figure 9: Ownership of mobile phones, January 2012-December 2017
Figure 10: Ownership of mobile phones and smartwatches (source data), January 2012-December 2017
Figure 11: Smartphone and basic mobile phone ownership combinations, June 2017-December 2017
Figure 12: Smartphone and basic mobile phone ownership combinations (source data), June 2017-December 2017
Ownership of wearable technology
Figure 13: Ownership of wearable devices, November 2014-December 2017
Figure 14: Ownership of wearable devices (source data), November 2014-December 2017
Ownership of other personal technology
Figure 15: Ownership of other personal technology products, December 2013-December 2017
Figure 16: Ownership of other personal technology products (source data), December 2013-December 2017
Recent personal technology purchases
Figure 17: Personal technology products bought in the last three months, June 2017-December 2017
Figure 18: Personal technology products bought in the last three months (source data), June 2017-December 2017
Planned personal technology purchases
Figure 19: Personal technology products plan to buy in the next three months, June 2017-December 2017
Figure 20: Personal technology products plan to buy in the next three months (source data), June 2017-December 2017
PERSONAL TECHNOLOGY – MARKET COMMENTARY
Recent purchasing trends provide cause for optimism in a saturated smartphone market
Flagship handset demand to continue into 2018
Smartphone shoppers getting savvier
Innovation beyond the small screen
Positive projection for WMS’s Moviphone
Figure 21: Moviphone, from WMS
PC mode back on the table
Figure 22: Huawei Mate 10 in Pocket PC mode
March of the smartwatches continues
New models continue to pack in more features
Figure 23: Fitbit Versa
The future looks fit and well…
…and fashionable
Wearable cameras maintain a steady niche
HOUSEHOLD TECHNOLOGY – HEADLINE DATA
Ownership of computers
Figure 24: Household ownership of computers, January 2012-December 2017
Figure 25: Household ownership of computers (source data), January 2012-December 2017
Figure 26: Ownership of computers, by form factor. June 2017-December 2017
Figure 27: Ownership of computers, by form factor (source data), June 2017-December 2017
Figure 28: Computer ownership combinations, June 2017-December 2017
Figure 29: Computer ownership combinations (source data), June 2017-December 2017
Ownership of TVs
Figure 30: Household ownership of HD and Ultra HD 4K televisions, July 2016-December 2017
Figure 31: Household ownership of HD and Ultra HD 4K televisions (source data), July 2016-December 2017
Figure 32: TV ownership combinations, June 2017-December 2017
Figure 33: TV ownership combinations (source data), June 2017-December 2017
TV connectivity
Figure 34: Type of TV internet connection, June 2017-December 2017
Figure 35: Type of TV internet connection (source data), June 2017-December 2017
Ownership of other household technology
Figure 36: Ownership of other household technology products, January 2012-December 2017
Figure 37: Ownership of other household technology products (source data), January 2012-December 2017
Figure 38: Ownership of voice-controlled speakers and VR headsets, December 2017
Figure 39: Ownership of voice-controlled speakers and VR headsets (source data), December 2017
Recent computer and static console purchases
Figure 40: Computers and static consoles bought in the last three months, June 2017-December 2017
Figure 41: Computers and static consoles bought in the last three months (source data), June 2017-December 2017
Planned computer and static console purchases
Figure 42: Computers or static consoles plan to buy in the next three months, June 2017-December 2017
Figure 43: Computers or static consoles plan to buy in the next three months (source data), June 2017-December 2017
Recent TV purchases
Figure 44: TVs bought in the last three months, June 2017-December 2017
Figure 45: TVs bought in the last three months (source data), June 2017-December 2017
Planned TV purchases
Figure 46: TVs plan to buy in the next three months, June 2017-December 2017
Figure 47: TVs plan to buy in the next three months (source data), June 2017-December 2017
HOUSEHOLD TECHNOLOGY – MARKET COMMENTARY
Computer markets remains flat, with cut-throat competition for replacement buyers
Figure 48: Microsoft Surface Book 2
Apple focuses on value and education…
…while Chromebook launches look to appeal elsewhere
Figure 49: HP Chromebook x2
One in six have now gone 4K…
…with a further summer boost expected
Innovation continues on the periphery
Voice speaker ownership up to one in 10
Figure 50: Harman Kardon Invoke with Cortana
VR starting to make inroads as it looks to stand alone
Figure 51: Oculus Go
Oculus aims for six degrees of untethered freedom…
…while HTC takes aim at enthusiasts with the Vive Pro
ONLINE ACTIVITIES – HEADLINE DATA
Online activities across all devices
Figure 52: Online activities done in the last three months on any device*, June 2017 and December 2017
Figure 53: Online activities done in the last three months on any device* (source data), June 2017 and December 2017
Online activities on a desktop/laptop
Figure 54: Online activities done in the last three months on a desktop/laptop, June 2017 and December 2017
Figure 55: Online activities done in the last three months on a desktop/laptop (source data), June 2017 and December 2017
Online activities on a tablet
Figure 56: Online activities done in the last three months on a tablet, June 2017 and December 2017
Figure 57: Online activities done in the last three months on a tablet (source data), June 2017 and December 2017
Online activities on a smartphone
Figure 58: Online activities done in the last three months on a smartphone, June 2017 and December 2017
Figure 59: Online activities done in the last three months on a smartphone (source data), June 2017 and December 2017
ONLINE ACTIVITIES – MARKET COMMENTARY
Online activity sees winter bump
Facebook scandal puts social media under scrutiny…
…but will people change their habits?
The challenge of maintaining engagement
Increasing focus on video
Figure 60: Tinder Loops
Publishers continue the drive for subscriptions and revenue
SPECIAL FOCUS: AI AND AUTOMATION – HEADLINE DATA
Personalised recommendations
Figure 61: Interest in personalised recommendations, December 2017
Figure 62: Interest in personalised recommendations (source data), December 2017
Automated products and services
Figure 63: Likelihood of using automated products or services, December 2017
Figure 64: Likelihood of using automated products or services (source data), December 2017
Automated customer service features
Figure 65: Attitudes towards automated customer service features, December 2017
Figure 66: Attitudes towards automated customer service features (source data), December 2017
SPECIAL FOCUS: AI AND AUTOMATION – MARKET COMMENTARY
Weight of opinion balanced against personalisation
Voice-controlled speaker growth helping accustom people to AI
Innovation across the board
Figure 67: Thea the St. Tropez TanBot
Amazon leads in automation
Figure 68: Amazon Go store, Seattle
APPENDIX – DATA SOURCES, ABBREVIATIONS AND SUPPORTING INFORMATION
Data sources
Abbreviations