Cloud and mobile testing company SOASTA has announced the results of its Cloud Computing Survey.

The aim of the online survey of 2,051 adults was to discover the prevalence of cloud computing in everyday life. The results show that 39 percent of all Americans use the cloud and of those, 86 percent say the cloud has improved the lives of Americans who work.

When it came to using the cloud, SOASTA discovered the following:

• The highest percentage of Americans who use the cloud live in the South (44 percent); the lowest use was in the Midwest (29 percent)
• Millennials (18-34) used the cloud the most (54 percent) out of any age group
• Households with children were more likely to use the cloud over households with no children (52 percent to 33 percent)
• Individuals who made $75,000 – $99,999 a year (53 percent) were most likely to use the cloud, followed by those who made $100,000 or more (46 percent) a year; those who made less than $50,000 (31 percent) were least likely to use the cloud
• Students were most likely to use the cloud (55 percent) followed by the employed (44 percent), and then the unemployed (33 percent); retired Americans were the least likely to use the cloud (24 percent)

When cloud-using Americans were asked how the cloud improved their lives, the top answers were:

• Making sharing files easier – 41 percent
• Peace of mind – not having to worry about backing up their data – 41 percent
• Share photos with family and friends – 40 percent
• Accessing music wherever – 37 percent
• More security – they don’t have to store sensitive info on their phone – 22 percent
• Makes their job easier (e.g., organisation, keep track of things) – 18 percent
• They can get a cheaper smartphone (e.g., iPhone, Android, Blackberry) without paying extra money for more memory – 17 percent
• Helps them collaborate with their coworkers 14 percent

“SOASTA was an early cloud computing pioneer with our cloud testing approach. Now our latest research shows that the cloud is increasingly recognised as a vital, everyday technology used by consumers to make their lives easier,” said Tom Lounibos, CEO of SOASTA.

“Thirty-nine percent of Americans now use the cloud in some way, and that number will only grow in the next few years. SOASTA has helped run billions of tests for companies to test the strength of their sites and apps to ensure a high quality experience for the end user.”

Merlin Software is the leading provider of Cloud-based software for the vacation ownership industry making business operations and processes easier, simpler and safer for today’s timeshare resort.