Asia Pacific, SINGAPORE, February 7, 2014 – Which IT gadgets do Asia Pacific consumers wish to purchase or receive as a gift in 2014? A recent online survey conducted by Microsoft in 10 Asia Pacific countries with over 1,300 respondents revealed that 35% of the respondents desire a tablet for both work and play while 25% are also keen on notebooks and ultrabook devices for the new year.
The survey, conducted in November 2013 to find out more about technology consumption habits and digital lifestyles of consumers in Asia Pacific, showed that respondents are looking for a full-fledged mobile computing device with a rich user experience today as the lines between their professional work and personal lives blur.
[Click here to access an infographic showing the key findings of this survey]
The survey also revealed that it is increasingly common for consumers in Asia Pacific to own multiple devices, with more than 53% of respondents owning at least a desktop PC, notebook and a smartphone. However, the survey showed that 67% of consumers are wishing for a more unified user experience across their multiple devices.
Tablet ownership in Asia Pacific is expected to grow significantly in 2014. Analyst firm Canalys has predicted that tablets will form close to 50% of the total PC market (desktop, notebooks and tablets) globally, with close to 285 million units expected to be shipped globally.
“People have come to expect more from their devices today. It is no longer sufficient for a mobile, touch device to just be able to support apps and social networking functions,” said Jason Lim, General Manager, Windows Business Group, Microsoft Asia Pacific. “Windows devices were designed so that consumers no longer need to choose between the fun and convenience of a tablet, or the power and productivity of a PC.”
Apps and social media at the center of digital lifestyles today
The survey also found that respondents are heavily connected and dependent on various communication and social media apps through their devices. 56% of respondents polled said that they wake up to a social media, email or messaging app first thing in the morning. The top three genre of apps used in their daily commute were social media, messaging and music apps. In fact, 58% of respondents polled said that they logged onto their social media accounts once every three hours!
In terms of paid apps, however, Asia Pacific respondents said that they are more likely to pay for games (32%), books & magazines (24%) and utilities (24%) apps for their devices rather than social media apps (10%) or messaging apps (13%).
“Consumers today are relying on apps more than ever to help them stay connected to the people and information that matter to them most. The survey reveals that they are also more likely to pay for quality content. Games, books, magazines and utility apps are for entertainment and convenience, and are seen as enriching content in their lives. Windows and Windows Phone are designed to put people and their connections first. They come pre-installed with apps such as the People Hub, Mail, and Skype to help users keep their fingers on the pulse of their social and work lives with just a single tap. In addition, the Windows and Windows Phone Stores provide a gateway to hundreds of thousands of high quality apps,” added Lim.
The deeply personal, unified Windows experience and a device to suit every need
Windows 8.1 blends the familiar desktop experience with the modern UI experience to deliver a fast, fluid and connected experience for users. With just a single login, users can have their settings follow them across all devices. This enables them to manage their applications, online services and social connections effortlessly. In addition, personal cloud services on Windows devices and Windows Phones like the new OneDrive helps users to instantly save and share their documents, photos and videos in one place, from any device.
Personalizing their device is a big deal for most users. The new Windows is the only OS that lets users start the way they want to, with three options to choose from – direct to Start Screen, Boot to Desktop or into the all-new All Apps View. From changing the sizes of Live Tiles on one’s Start Screen to a vast selection of backgrounds and colors for the desktop, Windows 8.1 is the only OS that supports a myriad of personalization options for a deeply personal experience across devices, including multi-user sign-ins.
For consumers who prefer a tablet device for work and for play, a Windows RT device such as the Surface RT comes equipped with free Office Home & Student RT 2013, which enables users to be productive while on-the-go, making it an ideal choice for consumers who are looking for a full-fledged productivity and entertainment device, in a more portable form factor.
No Windows and Windows Phone device is complete without great apps as they take center stage in our digital lives today. The Windows Store features more than 140,000 apps, while the Windows Phone Store has now over 200,000 apps which feature great quality social, gaming, music and utilities apps for the connected generation. Recent marquee additions include Facebook and Flipboard for Windows, and Instagram, Path, Vine and Waze for Windows Phone, all of which keep users connected on the latest happenings.
Top new game apps such as Asphalt 8: Airborne, Avengers Initiative, Despicable Me: Minion Rush, Frozen Free Fall by Disney, LEGO® Hero Factory Brain Attack and UNO & Friends are also new additions to the Windows Store, bringing hours of endless fun and entertainment for consumers on their portable Windows devices.
In Asia Pacific, AirAsia, music and video app Genie (지니) (Korea), Icon Pop Brand (Indonesia), vMusic (Thailand), Feed Garfield (Singapore) are some of the more popular Made-in-Asia apps in the Stores, providing consumers with more options to keep them connected and entertained.
For more information on Windows and Windows devices, visit www.windows.com and for more information on Windows Phone, visit www.windowsphone.com. A list of our top picks of new Windows and Windows Phone devices for 2014 can be found in Appendix.
About Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.
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