Tablet computers and e-book readers have doubled their ownership in the United States between mid-December and early January. This is according to the latest research data published by the Pew Internet and American Life Project.
This could be a sign that most adults in the United States received tablets and e-book readers during the holiday season. Both devices saw an increase from 10 percent ownership in mid-December to 19 percent in December. There’s a significant rise in the number of Americans owning at least one mobile device from 18 percent in December to 29 percent in January.
According to Pew, the increase is due to the introduction of cheaper products in the market, such as the Amazon’s Kindle Fire and Barnes and Noble Nook tablet. The Kindle Fire has been touted as the strongest competitor of Apple’s iPad. While the Kindle Fire doesn’t have all the features of Apple’s tablet, it is cheaper at $199. This appealed to the more budget-conscious consumers who otherwise wouldn’t think of buying a tablet computer.
More women got tablets and e-book readers compared to men in the past two months. Female consumers increased their ownership of tablets by 9 percent and e-book readers by 10 percent. Male consumers increased tablet ownership by 8 percent and e-book readers by 7 percent.
