Home Networking End-User Snapshot

Consumer Adoption of Home and Media Networking Technology

The home network is no longer the domain of early adopters and tech-savvy consumers, but now accounts for more than 50% of all online consumers, according to ABI Research’s latest survey of US online households. This growth (in 2006, online household adoption was 35%) has been driven by several factors such as the increased adoption of Wi-Fi–enabled notebooks and a growing interest in sharing high-speed Internet among consumers. Still, the home network market in the United States (and around the world) is stuck in second gear. The next phase in the evolution of the home network is centered on sharing rich media such as music and video between PCs, as well as among other devices including portable media players, mobile phones, game consoles, and connected CE products. While progress has been unhurried, this snapshot shows that consumers are slowly but surely beginning to step out of the PC-to-PC networking world and are using the network for sharing content. However, ABI Research demonstrates that while there are some encouraging signs, overall the industry needs to continue its focus on ease-of-use, along with creating compelling applications for networked media, if it is to increase consumer uptake of networked media.

Table of Contents

Executive Summary
Market Update

Section 1.
HOME NETWORK ADOPTION
1.1. Today versus Yesterday (or 2006)
1.2. Adoption by Age
1.3. Home Network Adoption b y Income
1.4. What Type of Home Network Technology?
1.5. Wi-Fi Router Technology

Section 2.
WHAT ARE CONSUMERS DOING WITH THEIR HOME NETWORKS?
2.1. What Devices Are Connected to Network?
2.2. Applications of the Home Network
2.3. Content Sources for Home Network



Charts
  • Do You Have a Home Network?
  • Home Network Adoption 2006 versus 2008, US Online Households
  • Home Network Adoption by Age, US Online Households
  • Home Network Adoption by Income, US Online Households: April 2008
  • Technology Used by Home Network Consumers
  • Wi-Fi Router Technology
  • Devices on Network
  • Applications of the Home Network
  • Where Do You Get Audio or Video Content for Streaming Over Network?