Federica Laricchia
Research expert covering the global consumer technology industry
Gen Z and consumer tech - statistics & facts
Nowadays, the term “Gen Z” comes up again and again, often talked about as the generation always holding smartphones in their hand, ready to document and share their daily life and experiences on social media. There is no doubt the smartphone is the most important device for these consumers, but they own and use a variety of tech products, from cameras to take high-quality pictures for Instagram to PCs to edit their videos for TikTok, contributing to the growth of the consumer electronics market.
But what does Gen Z do with these devices? Everything. No matter what device, today’s technology allows to use every device for a wide variety of purposes. Whether it is scrolling on social media and staying in touch with friends through smartphones, or studying, working, and playing video games on tablets or PCs, Gen Z users can do it all. However, there is the other side of the coin to consider: Gen Z users are well aware of the large amount of screen time, which makes many consumers feel addicted to electronic devices, especially smartphones.
All in all, Gen Z represents a major part of CE device users. Whether it is new smartphones for better pictures or older devices to take a break from the always-connected world, they will continue playing a major role in the growth of the CE market.
Gen Z revolves around tech devices
All over the world, Gen Z consumers are eager to purchase the most innovative technology products, whether it is the latest iPhone or the newest Samsung. When considering what device to buy, quality is the deciding factor, along with price. As a result, the share of Gen Z users owning all kinds of electronic devices is high in most countries. For instance, 95 percent of Gen Z consumers in the United States owned a smartphone in 2024, while this percentage reached 98 percent in the United Kingdom in the same year.But what does Gen Z do with these devices? Everything. No matter what device, today’s technology allows to use every device for a wide variety of purposes. Whether it is scrolling on social media and staying in touch with friends through smartphones, or studying, working, and playing video games on tablets or PCs, Gen Z users can do it all. However, there is the other side of the coin to consider: Gen Z users are well aware of the large amount of screen time, which makes many consumers feel addicted to electronic devices, especially smartphones.
Gen Z between nostalgia and innovation
If, on the one hand, Gen Z is the generation of social media and innovative devices, like AI smartphones, on the other hand, they are also the generation of nostalgia for older and “vintage” trends, from clothing to technology. Particularly, under the pressure of being always online, Gen Z users feel the need to go back to “simpler devices”, such as dumb phones and wired headphones, with many of them purchasing such products.All in all, Gen Z represents a major part of CE device users. Whether it is new smartphones for better pictures or older devices to take a break from the always-connected world, they will continue playing a major role in the growth of the CE market.
