Plugged In: How connected consumers live and buy in 2025

Morning Brew’s audience isn’t just keeping pace with technology, they’re actively shaping how it enters everyday life. The data paints a clear picture: This group of connected consumers are buying smart devices and curating a lifestyle around them. They’re sharp, early-moving, forward-thinking buyers. Here’s how they live, buy, and think about technology in 2025.

A fully charged lifestyle

Forget one-screen living. Morning Brew's audience is wired into a multi-device world where connectivity is constant and convenience is key.

What sets this audience apart is their appetite for more niche smart tech, from smart security systems to smart speakers and light bulbs. They’re consistently more likely than the US national average to own nearly every type of connected device:

• 1.7x more likely to own smart plugs 

• 1.6x more likely to own smart lightbulbs 

• 1.5x more likely to own smartwatches

• 1.4x more likely to own smart thermostats 

• 1.3x more likely to own smart security devices

What does this mean? Tech isn’t a utility for this group; it’s a lifestyle enhancer. These consumers are optimizing every corner of their lives with smart devices. Brands targeting this audience should think beyond product specs and focus on how tech can improve everyday experiences at home, at work, and everywhere in between.

Savvy shoppers, strategic buyers

For our audience, buying tech isn’t an emotional impulse. It’s a calculated move. Quality (53%) and price (51%) top their list of purchase drivers, followed closely by durability (43%) and brand trust (38%). The data makes one thing clear: This audience values function over flash, prioritizing performance and practicality in every purchase.

They don’t make decisions on a whim; they rely on research, compatibility, and peer reviews to guide them. To this audience, tech is an investment that’s expected to deliver long-term value through performance and reliability. 

Their influence extends well beyond their own shopping carts. Our audience is 1.7x more likely than the national average to be the go-to tech advisor in their circles, influencing what friends, family, and colleagues buy. For marketers, that presents a clear opportunity: Earn their trust and you’ll earn their network.

Plugged in but self-aware

While our audience leans into new tech early, they don’t do so blindly. Yes, they’re 2.4x more likely to buy a new device the moment it drops; however, they’re also 1.6x more likely to worry that tech is controlling them.

This makes for a true modern-day paradox: Even though they’re constantly tracking, optimizing, and upgrading, they're also equally aware of the trade-offs. Many say they spend too much time online (35%), regularly monitor their screen time (31%), and even set boundaries with their devices (23%). This isn’t digital burnout; it’s digital awareness.

Brands should see this as a green light to focus on balance, clarity, and control. The smartest tech today not only innovates but also empowers.

They live for the upgrade

Based on their love for electronics, it’s no surprise our audience is already planning for what tech they’ll buy next. With an average household income of $168k, they have the spending power to match their upgrade habits, and the intent to follow through.

Compared to the national average, they’re 3.1x more likely to buy smart speakers and 2.9x more likely to buy VR headsets in the next six months. But the demand doesn’t stop there. Their next wave of purchases spans the entire tech ecosystem, where they’re significantly more likely to shop high-value categories:

• 2.3x more likely to purchase drones

• 1.8x more likely to purchase smartwatches 

• 1.7x more likely to purchase gaming consoles

• 1.6x more likely to purchase security cameras

• 1.5x more likely to purchase laptops

Few consumers check every box (e.g., eager for new tech, intentional in planning, decisive in buying), but Morning Brew’s audience does. For brands trying to scale, this is the audience that accelerates momentum.