US Consumers Plan to Buy HD-TVs, Smartphones

A recent survey by the Consumer Electronics Association indicates the US consumers plan to purchase a lot more smartphones, high-definition TVs (HDTV), cameras, and tablets this year. Some 22% of US households plan to purchase a smartphone this year, with 17% plunking down their hard-earned bucks for an HDTV, and 15% going for a new camera.

Tablets and laptop computers are each on the shopping list for 14% of US consumers. Tablet purchases grew by 14% in 2011, the largest percentage increase of any consumer electronic device. Flat-panel plasma TVs, e-readers, and Internet-enabled TVs showed the least growth, each posting a gain of 6%.

The low increase in plasma-screen TVs should be no great surprise, but e-readers — which are cheaper than full-featured tablets — should be doing better. And Internet TVs are still not ready for prime time apparently.

Here are some other interesting nuggets from the CEA:

Of the 37 [consumer electronics] devices surveyed, the average U.S. household owns 24, the same number as last year, and spent $961 on consumer electronics over the past 12 months, down more than $200 from last year. The average adult individually reports spending $552 on [consumer electronics] in the past 12 months, down $100.

The CEA press release is available here.

Paul Ausick