Personal Computers Now in 34% of U.S. Households

Software Publishers Association Fifth Annual Consumer Study Finds PCs in More Homes and Used More Often

April 22, 1996 (Washington, D.C.) - The Software Publishers Association (SPA) announced today the results of its fifth annual study of computers in the home. The random digit telephone survey queried home PC owners on software use and PC configurations. Survey results show the use of home personal computers increased slightly in 1995, with penetration of PCs reaching 34 percent by January 1996, representing 33.9 million households, up from 32.6 million the same period a year ago.

Word processing is still the software application used most widely in the home. It has held first place since 1993 when 80 percent of home users reported using it, compared with 89 percent this year. At least 50 percent of PC households use seven application types, up from 5 percent in 1994. Overall, respondents reported using an average of nearly nine different types of software, with online and Internet users reporting more than 11 types.

Among other key survey findings:

SPA's "1996 Consumer Survey" is free to members and $500 for nonmembers. To order, call (202) 452-1600, ext. 341.

The Software Publishers Association's focus is on companies developing and publishing software applications and interactive content. SPA is the leading trade association of the desktop software industry, representing the leading publishers as well as many start-up firms in the business, consumer and education markets. Its 1,200 members account for 90 percent of the sales of the U.S. packaged software industry. SPA press releases are available on SPA's Web site at http://www.spa.org/ or through Fax-on-Demand at (800) 637-6823.

CHART 1

How Consumers Spend Time Online

(percent of respondents reporting each activity)

World Wide Web
Research 39%
Entertainment 35
Education/Reference 26
Travel 18
Computers/software 15
Financial 12
Sports 12
Online Services
E-Mail 37%
Research/reference 34
Internet access 24
Chat 18
Play games 16
Messages
Download Software
Financial Services
14

CHART 2

Number of Software Application Titles Owned by Category

  Games Education Personal Productivity
Number of Titles All Formats CD-ROM All Formats CD-ROM All Formats CD-ROM
1 - 3
4 - 10
Over 10
21%
40
29
32%
39
15
38%
40
12
49%
27
9
49%
32
4
66%*
13
2
Average
Median
1.9
6.0
6.8
4.0
6.1
4.0
4.6
3.0
4.0
3.0
42.5
1.0

CD-ROM cells include respondents who report both owning a CD-ROM reader and using one of the applications above (games, education, personal productivity).

* includes 25 percent with no CD-ROM titles, even though a CD-ROM reader is owned.