This probably comes as no surprise, but consumers under the age of 34 in the United States are the most likely to adopt 4G technology.
From the first quarter in 2011 to the first quarter in 2012, the popularity of 4G devices has grown from 1.4 percent to 7.6 percent.
While people under the age of 34 account for most of the users already taking advantage of 4G, 63 percent of teens are expected to make the change in the coming year. Regardless of how you break it down, younger people are most likely to be adopting, or considering adopting, 4G technology.
Take a look at Nielsen’s bar graph:
Nielsen’s 4 major takeaways for the mobile industry:
1). While both awareness and adoption of 4G have increased, understanding of 4G remains low as 55 percent of respondents are unable to identify any forms of 4G technology.
2). Eighty-six percent of 4G smartphone owners are satisfied with their 4G devices, comparable to owners of 3G devices, although satisfaction is notably low for battery life among 4G owners (46%). A portion of 4G smartphone owners report manually toggling between 3G and 4G on their device in an effort to conserve battery life.
3). Although 39 percent of 4G smartphone owners indicate that 4G was a factor influencing their purchasing decision, only 8 percent identify 4G as the most important factor. The research found that 4G capability is considerably more important for those purchasing a data card or mobile hotspot than either a smartphone or tablet.
4). Current 4G users are five times more likely to consider 4G as a replacement for their home broadband connection.