Americans age 50 and older have increasingly embraced technologies such as smartphones, smart televisions, and social media over the past few years, according to recent research from AARP.

The report was based on a survey conducted in September and October, 2022, among a nationally representative sample of 2,979 adults in the United States.

A full 86% of adults age 50+ say they own a smartphone, up from 77% in 2019, and 59% say they own a tablet, up from 47% in 2019.

Some 70% of adults age 50+ say they own a smart TV, up from 64% in 2019.

Percentage of adults over 50 who own recent technology

Americans age 50+ say they use their smartphones for a wide range of activities, including texting/messaging/email (91% say they have used their smartphone to do this in the past three months), directions (77%), and accessing the Internet (73%).

Top uses for smartphones among adults over 50

Some 83% of Americans age 50+ say they now stream shows, series, and videos.

Methods of watching shows, series, and videos for adults over 50

Some 71% of Americans age 50+ say they use Facebook and 51% say they use YouTube.

Adults over 50 who use popular social media platforms

About the research: The report was based on a survey conducted in September and October, 2022, among a nationally representative sample of 2,979 adults in the United States.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

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Ayaz Nanji is a digital strategist and a co-founder of ICW Media, a marketing agency specializing in content and social media services for tech firms. He is also a research writer for MarketingProfs. He has worked for Google/YouTube, the Travel Channel, AOL, and the New York Times.

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Twitter: @ayaznanji