49% of consumers show interest in ‘phygital’ products and services like Google Glass, latest Microsoft study finds

The global IT corporation Microsoft has conducted a new survey of 13,200 users aged 16-64 years old from 13 countries —Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Russia, Spain, Sweden, the UAE, the UK and the US—to find out to what extent digital technology changes their life. The findings from the study «Digital Trends 2015» has been grouped into three categories, as follows:  trends, the «Performers,» and the «Explorers.»

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1. The «Game changers.» These three trends highlight the potential of digital to change consumer behaviour dramatically.

  • Value Me: 49% of consumers are aware that companies track their personal data and benefit from that, but what to get some value from brands in return.
  • IntelligentlyOn: 63% of consumers are interested in responsive and adaptable digital devices and services that can automatically filter the necessary content. 19% already use such devices/services, while 31% are aware and interested in them; 50% are either aware but not interested (27%) or not aware (23%) of them.
  • Digital is physical: 49% of consumers prefer digital experiences that can seamlessly integrate into their offline world. 12% already use products that blur the lines between digital and physical, while 27% are aware and interested in them, and 61% are either aware but not interested (26%) or unaware (35%) of this type of products.

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2. The trends grouped under the «Performers» tag are related to people’s desire to shape their online profiles and show up better than they are in real life.

  • Right to My identity: 57% of respondents say they want to control how long their personal information is shared online. 18% already use product or services that allow this, while 32% are aware and interested in them.
  • Life Analytics: 43% of respondents would prefer brands that not just share some data with them, but provide some analytics and insight that my improve their life
  • Creative Me: 56% of respondents prefer brands that allow to customize and personalize their products and services. 12% already use such products/services, while 28% are interested and aware of them; 27% are aware but not interested, and 33% are unaware.

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3. The «Explorers» group of trends explains how consumers use digital technology to better learn themselves and discover the world around.

  • New Age of Discovery: 48% of consumers expect that brands know their needs and offer only the products and services that really suit them.
  • Now Networks: 55% of consumers prefer «niche» social communities and specialist digital services. 22% already use social communities focused on specific topics and activities, 27% are aware and interested.

For more insight and infographics, please download the 43-page «Digital Trends 2015» white paper from Microsoft for free here (4.4 Mb).