Personal Tech and the Pandemic: Older Adults Are Upgrading for a Better Online Experience

The pandemic might be the bridge to close the generational tech divide as older adults flocked to adopt technology in 2020. Usage increased across the technological spectrum, according to AARP’s annual technology survey. Older adults are streaming movies and TV shows, video-chatting with loved ones and colleagues, and buying new smart devices, such as TVs, phones, watches, tablets, home assistants, and home security. With social distancing restricting social interaction, adults 50 and older not only snatched up new devices, but also were more likely to use them daily. They purchased more smart TVs, smartphones, tablets, and wearables, and audio devices such as earbuds and headsets. Barriers weren’t completely eliminated, however. Older adults cited cost, knowledge gaps, and privacy concerns as top reasons they may be hesitant to adopt technology. More than half (54%) admitted they want a better grasp of the devices they’ve acquired, while more than one in three (37%) said they lacked confidence when using the technology that has otherwise become so much more prevalent in their lives.