PCR Tech and IT retail, distribution and vendor news
We all know that youngsters are familiar with using tablets, but more toddlers actually own a device than ever before.
One in ten (11 per cent) of kids aged between three and four years old now have their own tablet to keep them entertained, new data from Ofcom shows.
54 per cent of UK households now have one tablet, up from two per cent in in 2011. Tablets are now also proving particularly popular among people aged 35 to 54, with nearly two thirds of this age group (64 per cent) having a tablet.
And 21 per cent of households currently without a tablet told Ofcom they were likely to get one within the next 12 months.
Interestingly, a whopping 85 per cent of tablet owners only use their tablet in one place. Just 15 per cent appear to take their tablet with them when out and about – away from home, work or their place of study – Ofcom said.
Watching video clips is also proving popular on tablets. At the end of 2014, 58 per cent of people with a tablet connected at home were watching video clips online. 36 per cent were watching catch-up TV services such as BBC iPlayer or ITV Player.
Kate Reeve, Director of Consumer Research at Ofcom, said: “In just five years, tablets have become a must-have device for millions of UK households.
“We’re using them to catch up with the news, watch our favourite soaps and keep the kids entertained, with around one in three five to 15 year olds having their own tablet.”
Gaming on tablets is also on the rise, with 15 per cent of adults using a tablet to play games.
Despite these figures, tablet sales are actually declining, however growth is expected in 4G and two-in-one devices, says IDC.
Image source: Shutterstock
