Future, the special-interest media group, has today revealed the latest findings of TechMonitor, its authoritative annual look at the state of the technology nation.
A survey of more than 2,500 people conducted with market research consultancy Basis, TechMonitor 2011 offers unrivalled insight into the attitudes and buying behaviour of UK tech consumers.
Future’s Group Publishing Director Nial Ferguson says: “As the UK’s largest technology publisher, it’s essential that we have a very clear, up-to-date understanding of the technology consumer. This, our third TechMonitor study, has delivered some fascinating results that we’re using to focus our product development and add even greater value to our commercial partnerships.
“It’s our view that the rapid pace of change within the market is now the norm – the worlds obsession with technology simply isn’t going to slow down. Studies like Techmonitor are crucial for understanding the impact of this on the consumer.”
Headline findings of TechMonitor 2011 include:
- Sony come out on top as favourite brand, beating Apple into second place
- 3D may be red-hot but there’s consumer confusion over the technology – and more people want an internet-enabled TV than a 3D one
- Technology is no longer just a male preserve – women are the new ‘tech tribe’
- (Almost) everyone is into tech – it’s more accessible than ever
- Spend is returning to pre-credit crunch levels, which is great news for manufacturers – but there will still be winners and losers
- Momentum is building behind the tablet computer: will there be one in every home by 2012?
Future’s Commercial Planning Director Steve Payne says: “Consumer interest in technology is now broader than ever, but Techmonitor has shown that in some areas there’s a significant lag in understanding some of the emerging technologies. The sheer depth of information we now have available has helped us identify the difference between how consumers say they’re behaving, and what they actually do.”
Future is the UK’s leading technology publisher, with brands like T3 and TechRadar reaching a massive 2.6m tech buyers a month. A third of the TechMonitor sample was taken from readers across its technology portfolio, which when measured against the remainder of the sample illustrates that the Future audience spend more on technology, have higher levels of brand engagement and are important influencers on other tech consumers.
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About Future
Future plc is an international special-interest media group that is listed on the London Stock Exchange (symbol FUTR). Founded in 1985 with one magazine, today we have operations in the UK, US and Australia creating over 180 special-interest publications, websites and events for people who are passionate about their interests. We hold strong multi-media market positions in games, technology, film, music, cycling, automotive and crafts. Our biggest-selling magazines include Total Film, T3, Classic Rock, Digital Camera, Guitar World, Official Xbox Magazine, Official Playstation Magazine, Nintendo Power, Maximum PC and MacLife. Our websites include gamesradar.com, bikeradar.com, techradar.com, musicradar.com, dailyradar.com and photoradar.com. Future produces nearly 4 million magazines each month; we attract more than 27 million unique visitors to our websites; and we host 27 annual live events that attract hundreds of thousands of enthusiasts. In addition, Future exports, syndicates or licenses its publications to 90 countries internationally, making us the UK’s number one exporter and licensor of monthly magazines.
For more information
Contact Steve Wright on 01225 822803 or steve.wright@futurenet.com
