The Consumer Technology Association (CTA)® – the host of CES® “the most powerful tech event in the world” – has a very broad, almost daunting mission: “helping innovators of all sizes grow their business.” The Association’s research studies can be particularly invaluable in this regard.
CTA’s 2026 U.S. Consumer Technology Ownership & Market Potential Study, © 2026 Consumer Technology Association covers ten categories and some 73 technology products. Since Petra is a long-time member of CTA, a distributor, and we work closely with both vendors/manufacturers and retailers/consumers, we feel it is our responsibility to share the highlights we found most pertinent.
We also include some 2027 projection charts from the CTA U.S. Consumer Technology One-Year Industry Forecast, 2022-2027 (July 2026), © 2026 Consumer Technology Association. The Forecast uses information supplied by many different companies and individuals across the industry. It should be noted that memory chip supply issues will reduce shipments but boost revenue. And geopolitical issues may well reduce demand while keeping shipping costs high.
Ranking what’s on top must take into consideration the number of households in which the product is found…
…as well as how many of those products are found (installed) in a household.
As you can see, many households have more than one of the same category of product:
But despite the saturation, consumers are still buying them, either trading up for better quality or simply replacing older units:
Note growth of Portable Power Stations and Batteries:
According to the 2026 Study, six Smart Home technologies had the largest gains in household ownership from 2025 to 2026, across all the products the survey tracked:
The first takeaway in the 2026 Study is Portable Wireless Speakers remain hot-selling items; Turntable and A/V Receivers categories are slowing:
The second takeaway is Earbuds and Headphones continue to enjoy robust sales, again, trading up for newer technology:
The 2027 Forecast groups products a bit differently, while noting wireless connectivity, immersive audio, and more upscale features will drive sales. Radios and Compact Audio Systems are not as popular:
2025 and 2026 are certainly a mixed bag. A notable downward trend is rearview cameras and video entertainment systems. This reflects the fact that the used/older car market now has cars equipped with mandated rear cameras. The good news, of course, is that people are still intending to buy products across all categories, with Dash Cams showing the greatest potential.
Smartphones, like TVs, are found in nearly every household – and at an average of two each! The new foldable/flippable smartphones are especially driving new purchase intent stats for that category – in fact, the Consumer Technology Association reports it is the highest purchase intent of any technology product. Regular, non-smart cell phones continue to dwindle. And although it looks like Portable Power Banks are slipping, that 40% stat places it third in the “Top 10 of Tech with the Intent to Purchase in 2026.”
The 2026 Study, page 9, notes “Smart home tech accounted for four of the top five fastest-growing products in 2026, led by smart plugs and wireless speakers.” Across the board, nearly every product is seeing increases, with a mix of repeat and first-time buyers. The new category of Outdoor Maintenance Robots, located on the bottom of the chart, includes robotic lawn mowers, snow/leaf blowers, and pool cleaners/skimmers.
Over 97% of US households have a TV; the majority of which are 4K. Smart TVs can be found in 82% of homes. Standalone streaming devices are facing competition from smart TVs which offer the same capability. First-time buyers are intrigued by TV antennas, Action/360-degree cameras, and home/portable projectors.
When it comes to which kind of TVs are trending, the numbers indicate people are ditching their older sets for smart, Internet-enabled TVs. 8K TVs, OLEDs, and those larger than 69 inches have fewer sales. As these are premium TVs, this should not come as a surprise.
Chip costs are rising. That, coupled with less competition and limited supplies, will boost video component revenues:
As Wearable Tech is personal and often for a specific monitoring need, a household can easily own more than one. Note that Smartwatches has a subset for cellular-equipped ones.
Smart trackers, pet tech, micromobility products, and eToys/drones remain consistent sellers. CTA notes that households with pets are more likely to own smart tracker tags than households without pets. However, to be clear, veterinarians say regular smart trackers like AirTags should not be used on pets. The tag can break and the internal battery swallowed, creating an expensive medical emergency. Plus, the likelihood of nearby Apple® devices being able to pick up the signal in a remote area is slim.
CTA predicts higher costs for gaming hardware will help boost revenue:
And when it comes to electric bikes and scooters, healthy revenue growth is expected:
We hope this overview has helped both manufacturers and retailers get a clearer picture of what’s happening in the marketplace. It’s not the same as a crystal ball, but it should provide a better understanding of the consumer mindset and perhaps help you better plan your manufacturing and retail strategies as you move into 2027 and beyond. You might also consider becoming a member of CTA. There are many benefits, including free access to their market research.
If you are interested in purchasing products to resell, Petra Industries wholesales many items listed above as well as other, non-electronic categories.
Not yet a customer – or a supplier? Go to Petra.com and find out how your company can benefit by working with Petra Industries. Apply now!