Canadians and Tablets: This Is No Fad, This Is the Future [Infographic]
A study conducted by the Online Publishers Association revealed that over 90 percent of American tablet users have downloaded apps. Impressive. In fact, tablet users go all-out compared to smartphone users: they download an average of 20 apps (smartphone users who download apps average just 12) and they're also willing to pay for apps, spending more than $50 on average per year. And these guys must be downloading some good apps because 89 percent were satisfied or very satisfied with their device.
Two-thirds of the tablet users owned either an iPad 1 or 2. Samsung's Android-powered Galaxy Tab was the second most popular. The majority of tablet owners were male and half were younger than 35.
Seven percent of Canadians already own a tablet, according to global research firm TNS. It's an impressive number, given that Apple only introduced its original iPad last year. But what is even more remarkable are the future prospects of tablet ownership in Canada: one in three intend to purchase a tablet within the next six months, according to the study. A December 2010 poll conducted by the Strategic Counsel found similar results: 42 percent of Canadians say they plan to purchase a tablet within the next year. Those who own tablets? More than two-third take their tablet everywhere and well over half say their tablet is the first device they turn on in the morning. Non-tablet owners are envious, with 60 percent believing tablets will transform how we live, work and play.
This is incredibly fast and deep penetration. (Keep your mind out of the gutter.)
Tablet owners download more apps and spend more money on apps than with their smartphones, so developers should be looking to this new mobile platform for revenue.
"The tablet is the command centre—a mobile hub through which our customers will be able to access everything in their world—from reading email for work to looking at photos, programming their televisions to turning on lights at home, checking on friends on Facebook and even updating their personal finances," says John Boynton, EVP and chief marketing officer for Rogers Communications. "What we are seeing is a shift from one device to many devices connected together, anytime, anyplace. The tablet is the dashboard for the highways of tomorrow, where people can easily access the same personalized experiences at work, in the home or on the go."
Still, smartphones reign king for now: 41 percent of Canadians own smartphones, above the global average of 28 percent (although well behind crazy Korea at 90 percent). This means for every tablet owner in Canada, there are six smartphone owners.
