Do American people like "fax"? It is strange that foreign media "I still use"

Overseas media are wondering that American people with advanced images such as robots, Shinkansen, high-speed broadband networks, etc. still use "fax".

   In America, faxes are commonly used in businesses and homes, but in most of the developed countries, they are considered “old-fashioned” and in the United States they are enough to be added to the National Smithsonian Museum as “antiques”.

Home fax ownership 41.5% at the end of 12

   Certainly, faxes are everywhere in America. Almost 100% in the office. Recently, multifunction machines with copiers and the like have become widespread, and it is also possible to save space in offices and the like. It's also located at a convenience store, and it's convenient to use it freely if you pay money. In America, faxing is an essential business tool.

   However, according to Yano Research Institute's "Survey on Output Equipment Market 2013", shipments of "Business FAX" in fiscal 2013 (forecast) decreased by 0.5% from the previous fiscal year to 1.48 million units, 7.9 in monetary terms It is on a decreasing trend, declining to 17.6 billion yen.

   In addition, the ownership rate of home-use faxes is declining year by year. It cut 50% at the end of 2010 and reached 41.5% at the end of December. On the other hand, the ownership rate of mobile phones and PHSs is 94.5% (of which 49.5% is smartphones), the personal computer accounts for 75.8%, and the ownership rate of fixed phones is decreasing year by year. At the end of December, it finally dropped to 79.3%, breaking 80%. "The reduction in the number of homes with fixed phones is also affecting the decline in fax cover sheet example."

   In such a situation, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications says that the ownership rate and penetration rate have never been compared with overseas, but “business is usually used (fax) and even at home, for example, when ordering home delivery service It seems that there are many cases where it is being used, etc. ”and admits that it is being used without a sense of resistance.

   However, it seems that American people who use fax for "ordinary" from overseas seem to wonder somewhere.

   NewSphere (April 15, 2014), a news site that reports overseas reactions to America, analyzes that the New York Times and English blog site "Global Lingo" use American faxes. Overseas media pointed out that the reason American people use faxes is "in an aging society."

Do the elderly prefer the "old-fashioned" way?

   The New York Times states, "The adherence of the aging society to a solid way is symbolized by the adherence to fax," and "Global Lingo also prefers the old-fashioned way for the elderly who can not keep up with technological advances" It is believed that this is a factor dependent on faxes of American companies. It is pointed out that the fax is "leading to America's" Galapagosification "", and of course it is inefficient and there is waste of paper resources.

   According to Global Lingo, handwritten resumes, business plans and plans are the only developed country in America.

   However, Global Lingo says, "Because American people love American very much," they are stuck with sending handwritten faxes instead of inorganic, clerical e-mails. "The basics of business are human relations, and we try to leave humanity in business as much as possible," he said.

   In addition, a large American social news site "Redit", also in the US insurance companies and banks "Fax is alive well. There are many other companies relying on fax," said, "It is not outdated." It was being done.

   It seems that it is not all that critical.

   Overseas, the merits of fax have been evaluated as "a legal document unlike e-mail." If you think so, you may be using fax more often in the company where the "hanko" culture from the old days remains intensely in America, and the company with a close relationship with the administration.