HOME PC USE KEEPS RISING IN U.S.
By Adnews Staff
The number of U.S. homes with personal computers jumped 16% last year, partly because of an increase in older and less affluent Americans buying PCs, according to a survey in which Computer Intelligence Corp. interviewed 11,500 PC users. The research firm found that 38.5% of U.S. households had one or more PCs, compared to 33.1% in 1994 and 25.7% in 1993. Among households headed by people 60 years of age or older, about 4.6 million homes owned PCs. This represented a 31% jump in the penetration rate, to 20%. More low-income consumers own PCs because many are computer literate college graduates who are now working at their first jobs, for low salaries. Also, more first-time buyers are picking up used models. Computer Intelligence estimates that home PC shipments, excluding the home office segment, will jump 23% in the U.S. this year, compared with a 27% gain last year. In 1997 the company expects a 19% increase. First time buyers accounted for 43% of all purchases in 1995, compared to 45% in 1994. PC owners buying another computer accounted for 38% of purchases, compared with 34% in 1994 and 27% in 1993.