As
of May 2013, about 34% of all adults in the U.S. owned a tablet device, almost
double the number from a year ago. The percentage comes from the spring phone survey conducted by the Pew Internet & American Life Project, which has
been tracking tablet ownership since the release of the iPad.
It
may be hard to believe that tablet ownership went from zero to more than a
third of the total American adult population in just a few years. So who’s
buying all those tablets? It turns out the typical purchaser is a female
college graduate living in the surburbs, age 35-44, with a household income of
at least $75,000.
But
the telling characteristic of the average tablet owner is having a kid at home.
In the last year, custodial parents of minor children became the
fastest-growing tablet-owner demographic, jumping from 26% last spring to 50%
in May.
The
rise in tablet ownership is mirrored in the educational world as well. A Campus Technology article reported
tablets represented 35% of all personal computing devices shipped to U.S.
schools in 2012, almost twice as many as the preceding year. Obviously, both
parents and school personnel see tablets as an important tool in youngsters’
learning.
However,
the article noted, the boost in tablet purchases may be spurred mostly by
manufacturers that have developed educational content for the devices and are
willing to work directly with schools to fulfill their curriculum needs.
