CTA Insights: Ownership Trends, Tariff Impact Snapshot & Standards Updates

Your next CTA Insights is here! This month we unveil new research, a number of events to attend and ways to engage across CTA and
CES
.

In this edition, you’ll find:

Read on to stay ahead of the latest research, standards and ways to get involved. Know a colleague who should be in the loop? Encourage them to sign up.

2026 U.S. Consumer Technology Ownership & Market Potential Study

• What are U.S. households actually planning to buy next year? From smartphones to computing devices, this flagship CTA study examines ten consumer technology categories spanning 72 technology products among U.S. households.

• Big Screens Still Dominate: 97% of U.S. households own smartphones and TVs — and demand is still growing.
• Practical Tech Creates New Buyers: Outdoor robots and portable power stations are driving first-time adoption.
• Smart Home Momentum is Growing: Smart home devices are among the fastest-growing tech categories.
• Entertainment Tech Keeps Upgrading: Consumers continue upgrading earbuds, headphones and gaming consoles.

👉 Access today — complimentary for CTA members (a $3999 value).

Go deeper: Join CTA’s Market Research team on June 25 at 1 PM ET to uncover the study and understand where consumer demand is shifting and what it may mean for your business. Register today.

Earlier this month, members of the CTA Technology & Standards team attended the
SES-Standards
— The Society for Standardization Professionals Annual Conference in Ottawa. This year’s theme focused on Unlocking Possibilities — Standards without Borders.

CTA staff participated across the event:

• 
  
  Kerri Conn Haresign
  
  , Sr. Director, Technology & Standards, serves as President of SES and presented the Society’s awards. She was also moderator for a session on Standards at the Crossroads: Geopolitics, Trade and the Future of Innovation — discussing how standards influence innovation.
• 
  
  Alexandra Blasgen
  
  , Sr. Manager, Technology & Standards, facilitated a roundtable discussion on standards publishing processes.
• 
  
  Joy Barnett (Fortune)
  
  , Manager, Technology & Standards, received the SES Emerging Professional Award, honoring outstanding rising leaders who are driving the future of standardization through creativity, commitment and a passion for progress.
• 
  Madlyn Kaufman
  , Manager, Technology & Standards, spoke on the panel “Driving Trust and Innovation in Digital Health with Standards,” sharing how CTA standards strengthen trust, improve risk mitigation and support the future of connected health technologies.

Go further: Access CTA’s latest health standard and guidebook guidebook — complimentary for CTA members: Best Practices and Performance Requirements for Women’s Health Technologies and Guiding Principles for the Privacy of Personal Health Data

Consumer Technology Industry Tariff Impact Snapshot

• Unveiled during CTA’s second annual Trade Week in May , this report is based on U.S. Census Bureau import data through February 2026 and covers nine product categories, from gaming consoles to laptops and TVs.

• Consumer technology importers paid $23.5 billion in tariffs in 2025, more than five times the prior year.
• The average tariff rate rose from 1% to 7% over the course of 2025.
• China’s share of consumer technology imports fell from more than 50% in 2023 to 12% in early 2026, with sourcing shifting to Vietnam, India, Mexico, Thailand and others, depending on the category.

👉 Access the report now.

Go deeper: CTA VP of International Trade Ed Brzytwa joined 535 News Editor & Chief Brody Mullins to talk trade, tariffs and American innovation. Catch the full conversation here.

CTA members are invited to participate in several newly launched standards initiatives.

New CTA Women’s Health Project

• CTA’s Health, Fitness and Wellness Committee has recently launched a project to develop standard, CTA-2143, Best Practices for Women’s Health Technologies: Prevention, Screening, and Health Management. This document will provide recommendations and best practices for the use of women’s health technologies across prevention, screening and health management.

CTA Revises Guidelines for Trustworthy AI

• CTA has launched a project to revise ANSI/CTA-2096, Guidelines for Developing Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence Systems — which guides the development of trustworthy AI systems. The revision effort will help ensure the standard remains relevant as AI technologies continue to evolve.

Nationally Adopt International Standards — Helping to align U.S. standards with internationally recognized technical specifications, CTA has initiated CC-08-2026 to nationally adopt the following international standards:

• CTA-6045, Multimedia systems and equipment for vehicles – Surround view system – Part 4: Application for camera monitor systems IEC 63033-4:2022

• CTA-6046, Digital audio – Interface for non-linear PCM encoded audio bitstreams applying IEC 60958 – Part 2: Burst-info IEC 61937-2:2021

• CTA-6047, Event video data recorder for road vehicle accidents – Part 2: Test methods for evaluating the performance of basic functions IEC 63005-2:2019

Interested in participating in any of these projects? Contact standards@cta.tech to learn more and get involved.

Please join us for a CTA Virtual Roundtable — a CTA member exclusive.

Innovating for Access: AI in Daily Life

• Join CTA and its research partners, Access Living, CommunicationFIRST and Disability Belongs™ for a discussion on key findings from CTA’s AI & Accessibility whitepaper. The session will explore how people with disabilities are using AI today, where it is creating meaningful impact and what barriers still limit adoption.

👉 Register today | June 22 at 3 PM ET

2026 U.S. Ownership & Market Potential: What Households Own Today & Where Demand Is Headed

• Join CTA’s Market Research team to uncover the 2026 U.S. Consumer Technology Ownership & Market Potential Study. CTA’s annual analysis of ownership and purchase intent across more than 70 consumer technology products. Going beyond the data, members will understand where consumer demand is shifting and what it may mean for their business.

👉 Register today | June 25 at 1 PM ET

Navigating U.S.-China Economic Uncertainty

• Join CTA for a discussion on the near-and medium-term outlook for U.S.-China economic relations and what it means for the consumer technology industry. This session will go beyond the headlines to help members understand the risks, signals and decisions that could shape the next phase of global technology markets.

👉 Register today | July 1 at 2 PM ET

Save the Date — Fall Forum:

• Mark your calendars for September 29–October 1, 2026, in San Francisco. This four-day event brings together industry-leading engineers, CTOs, product planners and executives for standards development, learning and networking. Meetings and sessions this year will include topics like AI, cybersecurity, the future of energy and wearables.
• At Fall Forum, CTA’s Technology & Standards Program recognizes individuals for their commitment to excellence in program participation. Awarded on an annual basis, recipients are selected by CTA staff and the leadership of the Technology & Standards Councils, with final approval by CTA President and CEO.
• Submit your nomination today.

👉 Sept. 29–Oct. 1 | San Francisco, CA

Member Benefit of the Month: Attend a Virtual Roundtable

CTA Virtual Roundtables offer exclusive webinars for members to discuss the latest trends, challenges and opportunities in tech.

• Timely topics like AI, policy and emerging technologies.
• Leaders, decision-makers and subject matter experts leading important conversations.

• A platform for listening, learning and gaining exposure to different perspectives.
• An opportunity for asking questions, exchanging ideas and staying connected to relevant discussions to fuel discission making.
• Member-only for engaged, focused and meaningful discussions.

Join us for our next discussion on June 22. Learn more about other CTA member benefits.

Judge the CES Innovation Awards®

• The annual CES Innovation Awards honor outstanding design and engineering across consumer technology. We are seeking designers, engineers, analysts and media professionals to apply to judge the program. Apply now to be part of this unique opportunity — deadline is July 10.

Not a member? Gain access to exclusive research, standards, events and industry connections — join CTA today.