Tablets, PCs Splitting Duties, Say Owners

By Doug Olenick -- TWICE, 2/17/2012

Port Washington, N.Y. - While tablet owners are starting to use their new devices for tasks traditionally done on a PC, they are not abandoning the computer market, an NPD Group study found.

The study of more than 1,114 consumers in December saw consumers using their tablet to accomplish tasks that had always been done on their desktop or laptop. This includes email, general Internet activity, gaming, social networking and online shopping.

"As the demographic of the tablet owner continues to change the tablet market is beginning to take on a new role," said Stephen Baker, industry analysis VP at NPD. "We are seeing some of the tasks traditionally performed on devices, such as PCs, now being performed on the tablet. In fact, all five of the top activities shifted towards the tablet between early and late 2011."

The study also found that so far, iPad owners are more likely to be older and have more money, but this is also changing.

The recent NPD survey indicated that 40 percent of iPad owners were likely to have an income of $100,000 or more, while only 26 percent of non-iPad owners fell into this bracket.

As 2011 came to a close this buying trend was changing. During the last six months of the year, NPD found 50 percent of tablet buyers were likely to have an income less than $45,000 and be younger than 34 years old.