iPad Tablet Use Demographics and Future from CleanSlate2011

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Last week I attended a very interesting conference on the changing world of media and advertising in the new Tablet economy. The agenda for CleanSlate2011 was to discuss issues such as consumer use of tablets (still mostly iPads) now and in the future, advertising, monetization strategies, tablets and TV, how are tablets stimulating online media consumption and creating new revenue opportunities and where will the tablet be in five years.

I am not going to report on all of this, as much of the conference was for businesses. However, I did want to share some of the demographics and usage discussion, which I found very interesting.

Age and gender demographics

• The average tablet owner is 35 years old.
• Tablet owners skew younger.
• Female tablet owners are about 3 years younger than male tablet users.
• As you go older, women are a greater proportion of tablet users (I have seen evidence of this myself)
• Big adoption of tablets by families, especially moms with kids.
• Many women buy tablets to use as e-readers.
• Parents buy not only for the bedtime stories for kids, but also for the kids games.
• Tablets are easier for seniors than computers because many have trouble mastering the mouse.
• Easier for seniors to use apps on a tablet than a smartphone because the bigger size is easier on their aging eyes.

Use

• Many tablet owners use them while watching TV
• Tablets have a real immediacy
• They are used most for things that don't have to be done, light consumption such as games and video
• Not used as much for work or productivity

Future

• It is estimated that sales of tablets will continue to grow at an extremely fast rate. (Tablets and e-readers are already the fastest growing category of device in recent history).
• Market saturation should occur in 2015.
• The Amazon Tablet, which is not out yet, probably has the best bet in creating an ecosystem.

Do you own a tablet yet? Is it an iPad? What led you to buy one? Why haven't you bought one yet? Please share. I would love to see how you fit in with the demographics above?