A major new report from the Pew Internet & American Life Project confirms what most of us already knew: Tablets are continuing to penetrate the market, especially among those in the more attractive demographics.
Here are some highlights of the study:
- On the whole, 34% of American adults (18 and over) own a tablet — nearly double the 18% of a year ago.
- 49% of those between 35 and 44, and 49% of college graduates, own tablets.
- Penetration reaches across ethnic lines, with white, black and Hispanic ownership about equal.
- Ownership follows wealth. Among those who make more than $75,000, 56% own tablets. Among those making less than $30,000 a year, penetration is only 20%.
Another Pew study — released last week — showed that 61% of all cell owners now own smart phones. Among those 35 to 44 years old, 69% own a smartphone. (Note that this is 22% higher than the 49% penetration for tablets in the same age group.
I’m hoping that in the near future we’ll get more data indicating the extent to which smartphones tablets are displacing laptops. We have seen data showing that those with tablets tend to spend more time with the news and follow more media, but it still isn’t clear whether tablets will be secondary or primary devices for most media.