New research from the Consumer Technology Association (CTA) 29th Annual Consumer Technology Holiday Purchase Patterns report shows streaming services and video game tech are among the top tech gifts people plan on giving this season. Following closely behind, portable audio products, smartphones and health and wellness tech are among this year’s most sought-after tech on consumer wishlists.
“The rising popularity of video streaming services as a holiday gift shows how diverse the tech we share has become in recent years,” said Lesley Rohrbaugh, Director of Research at CTA. “Common gifts like watches, toys, and vehicle accessories are increasingly tech-centric. As technology becomes more present in our daily lives, the list of tech gifts consumers give will continue to grow.”
Here are the best holiday tech gifts to give this year, according to the CTA’s 29th Annual Consumer Technology Holiday Purchase Pattern report:
- Streaming Content
Video streaming services like Disney+, Hulu, and Netflix have created a competitive market for easy-to-access video content. More than 200 music, video and gaming streaming services are available to users. About 192 million U.S. adults (75%) plan to purchase at least one content-related product this holiday season. - Health and Wellness
The pandemic drove awareness of health and wellness products for the home, and sales of products like Apple Watch, Fitbit and Oura Ring show the rising popularity of smart, wearable tech for health-conscious gift-givers. 122 million (44%) of holiday shoppers plan to gift a health and wellness tech product this year. - Video Game and Entertainment Products
Interactive and immersive gaming experiences are driving a spike in the U.S. gaming market. Staples like Microsoft’s Xbox Series X and Sony’s PlayStation 5, plus immersive AR/VR gaming realms like the HTC VIVE Pro and Meta’s Quest Pro, are increasingly popular.
Top Tech Gifts by The Numbers
A record-breaking 78% (nearly 199 million) of U.S. adult shoppers will purchase tech products and services as gifts this holiday season. The number of U.S. adults purchasing tech as a holiday gift rose by three percentage points from 2021.
- 61 million gifting headphones/earbuds: Headphones and earbuds ranked first on the list of most sought-after holiday gifts for U.S. adult shoppers.
- 59 million gifting streaming/downloading services: Streaming services deliver increasingly diverse content and holiday shoppers have a wider choice of subscriptions than ever.
- 54 million gifting mobile device cases: Growth in the protective casing industry is driven by the popularity and affordability of mobile devices.
- 50 million gifting smartphones: Smartphone makers keep innovating and advancing, giving early adopters a reason to seek out the latest updates and new functions.
- 46 million gifting video game consoles: Video game consoles jumped from the seventh most popular tech gift in 2021 to the fifth most popular this holiday season.
Methodology
This report presents the findings of an online survey conducted by Big Village, a collaborative CTA research partner, among a total sample of 2008 U.S. adults from Sept. 8-11, 2022. After data collection was completed, the dataset was weighted by six variables to ensure a reliable and accurate representation of the total U.S. population 18 years of age and older. The margin of sampling error at 95% confidence for aggregate results is +/- 2.2%.
About the Consumer Technology Association
As North America’s largest technology trade association, CTA® is the tech sector. Our members are the world’s leading innovators – from startups to global brands – helping support more than 18 million American jobs. Learn more at CTA.tech.
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