What are the most popular technologies used by seniors, and why?

According to a recent AARP national survey in the United States, new technology is progressively attracting older Americans. Still, privacy issues are a big concern for these people, and they also don’t usually use every feature that their phone has to offer. More than half (51%) of older Americans reported having access to some new tech product based on this survey. The most bought products are:
• Smartphones (23%)
• Laptop or PC (12%)
• Smart home device or tech (12%)
• Smart TV (11%) + Tablet (10%)
• Wearable equipment (7%)

Interestingly, both younger adults and the elderly continue to use modern techs like smartphones and tablets, and other devices at a similar rate. Still, each group has its distinctive taste when it comes to the type of tech they prefer. For example, those over 50 tend to prefer tablets (with more than half of them owning one), while those under 50 loose interest in this category. As mentioned before, despite the tech market and new devices becoming more and more well-liked among the elderly, not every one of them takes full advantage of what their devices can do. For example, while 49 percent of Americans have a smart TV, 7 percent do not use their TV’s streaming capabilities and online features to watch their favourite shows.
From all that modern tech available for the elderly, one of the scariest places to get to know is the internet. It is good to know that understanding how the internet works can significantly impact our lives.
Since the internet is comparatively a new technology, older people didn’t have enough time to familiarize themselves with it as younger people had. Here are a few opportunities you might miss if you don’t get yourself accustomed to the internet:
• Manage your bank accounts and bills.
• Order the items on your shopping list online and have them delivered to you
• Stream your favourite shows and movies
• Start video calls with your family and friends.
• Share your life on social websites and apps through photos and other media.
• Play video games with your friends and engage your brain in doing so.

Unlike the general public’s belief, E-books such as Nooks and Kindles and tablets are just as prevalent as smartphones among the elderly. Tablets, smartphones, and e-books each have an 18 percent usage rate among older people. In conclusion, the number of seniors having either a tablet or an e-book or both is almost double the number of seniors who only use smartphones.