What you need to know
Ownership of smart speakers increased from 47% in Q1 to 57% in Q4. This is mainly driven by more adoption from Mintropolitans, new brand entry and new-generation product launches. Apps that feature a specific theme or subculture have seen more active daily usage.
Mintel thinks there are four future opportunities to notice in the consumer digital products.
The majority of consumers have a desire for high-end digital devices. Mature people aged 30-49 are key potential buyers rather than Gen-Zers.
Acoustic experience will emerge into a major consumer trend in digital products.
Current ownership of smart TVs is not yet high, suggesting there is room for improving penetration. Smart TVs with strengthened audio and connectivity will motivate TV upgrades.
Paying for knowledge content on apps is niche. Considering that leisure spending skews towards learning and self-improving, apps can be more specialised to cash in via knowledge content.
Covered in this Report
This Report covers ownership of and intentions to purchase consumer technology products (eg televisions, laptops and smartphones), as well as the methods that people have used to connect to the internet in the last three months.
Mintel’s Digital Trends China Report series examines what types of activities consumers have performed online using PCs (laptops or desktops), tablets and smartphones.
In each quarter, we focus on a different aspect of consumer behaviour, and this edition focuses on paid knowledge content consumption on selected mobile apps.
Definitions of different digital products
Smartphones: refers to any modern mobile phone capable of connecting to the internet, and capable of downloading applications from proprietary application stores.
Laptops/desktops: refers to all types of PCs (eg tower unit computers, all-in-one PCs, netbooks, ultra-books and two-in-one laptops which can be converted to tablets).
Tablets: refers to the new style of computers in a slate or slab format with touchscreens and no permanently attached physical keyboards, excluding two-in-one laptops.
Digital/video cameras: refers to point-and-shoot digital cameras (P&S), single-lens reflex (SLR) cameras (both digital and film), mirrorless cameras and video cameras.
Wearable products: refers to devices incorporating electronic technologies or computers that can be worn by consumers, such as activity trackers and smartwatches.
Smart home appliances: refers to home appliances which are internet-connected or controllable by mobile apps (eg smart speakers, smart fridges); smart TVs/projectors are excluded.
Smart TV/projectors: refers to internet-enabled TV sets/projectors.
VR products: VR (virtual reality) headsets.
E-readers: refers to devices designed for digital reading with a monochrome screen (eg Kindle).
Games consoles: covers only video games consoles, referring to devices that output a video signal or visual image to display a video game, eg PlayStation, Xbox and Wii.
