Limelight

Four In 10 Canadian Internet Users Do Not See Need For Cloud Storage

It seems Canadians do not have their heads into the cloud.

In a recent GfK study, 39% of Canadian Internet users said they do not consider it essential to access or store photos, documents, music, and other content in the cloud. (“The cloud” refers to seamless access to networked computing that is located anywhere and accessed as a service.”) By contrast, only 16% did see value in using the cloud.

The 39% score places Canada second to last among 22 countries covered by the study, with only Germany registering a higher negative score when it comes to the cloud.

The research points to vast generational differences in cloud attitudes; more than half of Canadian Internet users in the age groups of 50 to 59 (53%) and 60-plus (51%) said they do not see value in cloud storage, while much lower proportions (11% and 14%, respectively) in those groups see the cloud as essential. Among the six age brackets measured, the highest positive score for the cloud in Canada was 25%, registered by the 30-to-39 group.

Positive sentiments about the cloud were about even among Canadian men and women who go online (17% and 15%, respectively); but women were more inclined to have negative feelings about the cloud, with 43% saying they do not see its value (compared to 34% for men).

Internationally, nearly a third (31%) of all surveyed agree that cloud storage is essential to them, with the highest levels registered by Mexico (49%), Brazil (44%), Turkey (43%), China (40%), and Russia (37%). At the other end of the scale, Japan shows the lowest level (10%) of agreement that the cloud has value, followed by Germany (12%).

For more information on GfK’s international research into people’s online attitudes and behaviour, please contact press@gfk.com.

About the study

GfK conducted an online survey (face to face in Ukraine) with over 26,000 people aged 15 or older in 22 countries. Fieldwork was carried out in summer 2014. In the countries surveyed online, the data have been weighted to reflect the demographic composition of the online population age 15+ in each market. In Ukraine, where interviews were face to face, the study is representative of the top-tier urban population aged 15+ excluding the lowest SES levels and was restricted to people who used the Internet within the last 30 days. The countries included in this press release are Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Poland, Russia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, Turkey, UK, Ukraine and USA.

About GfK

GfK is the trusted source of relevant market and consumer information that enables its clients to make smarter decisions. More than 13,000 market research experts combine their passion with GfK’s long-standing data science experience. This allows GfK to deliver vital global insights matched with local market intelligence from more than 100 countries. By using innovative technologies and data sciences, GfK turns big data into smart data, enabling its clients to improve their competitive edge and enrich consumers’ experiences and choices.

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