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How the digital pen integrates into people’s everyday lives.

The Digital Stationery Consortium (DSC)

is a network of global industry and thought leaders, entrepreneurs, and academics with a shared interest in smart digital stationery solutions. We connect different industries, institutions, perspectives, and requirements.

Given this interest – and with various members in the areas of traditional and digital stationery solutions, display, e-paper, stylus, pen-displays, notebook, tablet and smartphone manufacturers – we wanted to conduct a study to research deeper into the field of conventional and digital pen usage.

Our motivation is the huge potential the digital pen has to offer with a massive growth opportunity within the next years.

In particular, the objective of the study was to:

  1. Explore digital pen penetration
  2. Analyse the fields of usage and activities
  3. Delve into user satisfaction of digital pens
  4. Ascertain the used hardware

The study was carried out in 5 different regions (USA, Germany, Japan, South Korea and China) with a total sample of almost 2,000 participants. The sample covered a representative mix of the population (18 to 64 years old) with respondents admitted to the main survey who own a digital pen and have used it within the last 24 months at least 2 to 3 times per month.

The study was conducted by Online-Interviews (CAWI). The respondents were recruited from the INNOFACT AG consumer panel and international partner panel. A random sample was invited via email and was able to participate in the online survey.

 

This study shows one thing for certain:

Digital pens are the undervalued stock and maybe the next big thing.

 

Overall, almost one in five of the total population has used a digital pen,

but its use is not yet widespread, especially among elderly people. Since the older generations of users worldwide have arrived in the digital age, there is still great potential to be tapped here.

 

 

 

User satisfaction is very high,

digital pen use is convincing, especially in everyday life, and it is not an elitist tool that is only used in business. This is what makes the topic so exciting: digital pens are for everyday use, but at the same time enhance productivity for many users in the business sector.

It is rather rare for IT applications to be of great benefit both in the business environment and in the private sphere. All this is somewhat reminiscent of the spread of the personal computer: many experts thought it was a thing for professionals. But history has taught us, it would be for the masses.

As many as 38%, and thus more than a third of the respondents, use their digital pen daily.

 

 

 

Regardless of the type of pen used, taking notes, making lists and editing photos are the most common activities. Across all pen types, digital pen users thus hardly differ from the overall population in these common activities.

 

 

 

The present results show that the way is paved

for the democratization of the digital pen. The programs and devices with which digital pens can be used are already in households. The digital pen is highly relevant for daily use such as note-taking or list-making. And the existing users are highly satisfied.

The bottom line is: The conditions for a breakthrough are in place!

Would you like to find out more?

The full study and all future researches are available for our members.

Please contact us to schedule a personal consultation and find out more about the membership benefits!

 

We grant free memberships for Startup*, Nonprofit & Academic Promoter member applications.

*Startup level of free membership dependent on yearly revenue and number of employees.