17% use financial services.........
CI: Nearly 37 Million PCs Regularly Access The Internet In The U.S.
Microsoft Internet Explorer Gains on Netscape Navigator
As Internet Growth Slows
LA JOLLA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 23, 1997--Recently released research by Computer Intelligence (CI), the leading source of fact-based information about the computer and communications industries, shows that 36.9 million PCs are regularly accessing the Internet in the United States. The figures are from CI's Midyear Update to its 1997 Consumer Technology Index study.
CI's research showed that in January 1997, 31.1 million U.S. PCs regularly connected to the Internet, an increase of nearly 70 percent over January 1996. By August 1997, the number of PCs connecting to the Internet on a regular basis had grown to 36.9 million - ''only'' an additional 19 percent.
According to CI's data, 37 percent of all U.S. PCs were regularly connecting to the Internet in August 1997. Growth in the number of Internet users in the last seven months has been stronger in businesses (28 percent) than in the home (16 percent) or the self-employed markets (5 percent). ''While the Internet remains the nexus of activity in the PC and telecommunications industries, the growth in the number of users of the Internet is clearly slowing,'' said CI Senior Industry Analyst Dave Tremblay.
E-mail and Web-surfing remain the most common Internet applications in 1997, according to CI, used by over 80 percent of those who connect to the Internet. A minority of users purchased something over the Internet - including 17 percent who used financial services, 10 percent who purchased PC products and 6 percent who purchased other consumer electronics products. In addition, 26 percent of Internet users did surf the 'net looking for information that they used for other purchases they made. Although still small, the number of users who purchased something on the Internet has continued to grow since the beginning of the year.
While Netscape's Navigator remains the most often used Web browser, its share of users has declined - from 63 percent in January 1997 to 58 percent in August. Microsoft Internet Explorer's share has grown from 12 percent to 21 percent in the same period.
''Microsoft's relentless efforts in the browser market are bearing fruit,'' said Tremblay. ''Microsoft has gained more than eight points of share and 4.1 million browser users since January. While Netscape has also gained users, its browser lost nearly five points of share over the same period. More serious for Netscape is where its share loss has been highest - in the business market. Netscape has lost relatively more share among business users, the fastest growing Internet segment and its relative stronghold, than it has among home users. Netscape's strategy is built on success in the business market - our latest research shows that Internet Explorer has hit Navigator hardest in this target market.''
These results are drawn from the Mid-Year 1997 Update of CI's twice-yearly Consumer Technology Index (CTI) study. CTI is the largest, most comprehensive research effort focusing on personal computer, communications and home technology usage in the United States. Final survey results are based on a detailed 8-page written questionnaire on the types and brands of equipment used at home and in the workplace, which was mailed to over 7,500 U.S. households. |
