Tech Consumer Insights

Trend - Brands are leveraging artificial intelligence to bring personalized, interactive shopping experiences to malls and brick-and-mortar stores. By integrating machine learning and augmented reality (AR), they create immersive, tech-driven demonstrations that connect consumers with branded products.

Insight - While many consumers are eager to invest in artificial intelligence-powered products, concerns about efficiency and cost often hold them back. In response, brands are incorporating AI into in-person events and pop-ups, creating immersive experiences that highlight the technology’s potential and expose consumers to their product offerings. By merging innovation with real-world interactions, brands can break down skepticism, build trust, and attract shoppers who prefer physical retail spaces.

Trend - AI companies are launching addiction analysis apps designed to assist users in combating nicotine and other substance addictions. These apps leverage AI to track usage patterns, deliver tailored recommendations, and provide real-time support, capitalizing on technology-driven health solutions.

Insight - Consumers facing addiction seek accessible and affordable recovery tools that offer personalized support. The growing awareness of mental health and well-being, coupled with limited access to in-person treatment options, has created a demand for tech-based solutions. AI-driven apps cater to these needs by providing customized insights, progress tracking, and professional resources, reducing stigma and barriers to seeking help, placing pressure on AI companies to develop impactful health tools.

Trend - Game developers are increasingly integrating cross-progression features in their titles, allowing players to carry over their game progress, achievements, and in-game purchases across multiple platforms. This feature provides gamers with a seamless and flexible gaming experience.

Insight - Consumers today expect flexibility and convenience in their entertainment experiences. The rise of multi-platform gaming, where players own multiple devices and switch between them frequently, has increased the demand for features that provide a seamless transition. Gamers, especially those who invest significant time and money into their games, desire the ability to maintain their progress and access their content across all their devices, leading to developers supporting cross-progression.

Trend - AI-powered sustainability tools are emerging as assets for businesses aiming to reduce their environmental impact. These tools utilize artificial intelligence to analyze data, predict outcomes, and optimize processes, enabling businesses to make more informed sustainability decisions.

Insight - Consumers are becoming increasingly aware of and concerned about the environmental impact of businesses. They seek transparency and accountability from companies regarding their sustainability practices. Environmentally-conscious consumers are particularly drawn to brands that demonstrate a commitment to sustainability. Additionally, businesses face mounting pressures from regulators, investors, and stakeholders to adopt sustainable practices and reduce their carbon footprint.

Trend - Brands are launching sustainable alternatives for phone cases, leading to those made with compostable materials. Compostable phone cases made from plant-based materials are becoming a popular choice, offering a greener option compared to traditional plastic cases.

Insight - Consumers today are more environmentally conscious and are actively seeking products that align with their values, leading to a desire for products that are not only functional but also environmentally responsible. This demand reflects a broader trend towards sustainability and reducing plastic waste. Brands are responding by creating stylish, durable cases made from biodegradable materials, appealing to eco-minded consumers who want to protect their devices and the planet.

Trend - Audio hardware brands are now looking to the 90s and 2000s for tech inspiration, rather than the 70s-inspired record players, leading to the revived popularity of both desktop and portable CD players. These devices blend 90s nostalgia with modern features.

Insight - Nostalgia is an evergreen motivator for consumers making purchase decisions. This is due to many consumers seeking comfort, familiarity, and safety rather than taking risks. Combining this motivator with the fact that millennials and Gen Z consumers are now reaching their 30s and 40s, there is a growing market for nostalgic products that harken to the 90s and 200s. In order to market to and appease this subset of consumers, brands are releasing retro-inspired CD players with modernized features.

Trend - As consumers face increasing digital overwhelm, companies are developing solutions that simplify choice architecture and content discovery. These innovations range from AI-powered personalization to minimalist interfaces that highlight essential information.

Insight - Contemporary consumers are experiencing heightened cognitive load due to the proliferation of digital touchpoints and endless choice in their daily lives. This information overload has created a growing appetite for experiences that reduce decision fatigue while still preserving optionality. Rather than seeking fewer choices, consumers want better frameworks for navigating abundance - whether through smarter filtering, clearer organization, or more intuitive discovery mechanisms.

Trend - As traditional DTC models face growing challenges from supply chain disruptions and shifting consumer preferences, brands are rapidly expanding their presence across multiple retail channels. This expansion includes leveraging retail media networks, exploring social commerce, maintaining brick-and-mortar locations, and creating seamless experiences between digital and physical touchpoints.

Insight - The retail landscape is experiencing a fundamental shift as consumers increasingly demand flexibility in how they discover and purchase products. While digital commerce continues to grow, younger demographics like Gen Z are demonstrating unexpectedly strong preferences for in-person shopping experiences. This behavioral duality is creating tension for brands that have historically focused solely on digital or physical channels. The rise of retail media networks further signals how the boundaries between traditional retail channels are dis

Trend - Baby product brands are now integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) into their baby crib designs. These AI-enhanced cribs come with unique features such as mood detection, sleep monitoring, urination detection, and the ability to automatically rock the crib when needed.

Insight - New and expecting parents often spend copious amounts of time researching and preparing the best methods of caring for and raising a child, including diets, parenting strategies, and new assistive technologies. As life becomes busier for said parents, solutions that save time without compromising on the health or wellbeing of the newborn become high priorities. In order to appeal to the busy new parent, brands are creating cribs with AI-powered features.

Trend - Though streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, Paramount + and more have transformed consumers' relationships with television, they have yet to crack the code on live events. That is, until, the recent rise of sports-specific streaming partners and services. Expanding programming into these areas ensures larger viewership, especially around huge events like the Super Bowl.

Insight - The target demographic for live sporting events has changed in recent years; take, for example, the Super Bowl -- between Rihanna's halftime show and Taylor Swift's much-covered relationship with Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, the event has begun to attract more than just football fans. This introduces an opportunity for not just increased eyeballs, but additional merchandising and programming. As streaming services develop into production houses and even media conglomerates, their ability to seize these opportunities becomes irresistible.