2012 has been christened the year of the tablet yet despite their increasing importance, the impact on traditional media is unclear.
Tablets and e-readers are quickly being recognised as an important change in the media landscape. According to research by UM London, 8% own a tablet computer and 12.5% own an e-reader. Significantly, 37% of tablet/e-reader owners said that ‘my device has changed my life’ and 70% stated ‘everyone will own a tablet or e-reader in future’. The telegraph recently reported that 8 million tablets will be sold this year.
From a commercial perspective, New Media Age reported tablets are to drive e-commerce in 2012 with purchases made on devices like the iPad set to equal those from smartphones this year. 14% of respondents also said they used a tablet device to make purchases last Christmas.
The end of print has been predicted for a long time but the tablet has enabled a transition to online. The major challenge for print media will be reaching the same level of audience digitally with greater competition and more promiscuous readers.
Broadcast media has a great opportunity to benefit from the growth in tablets with 88% of iPad owners using it for media consumption. Keeping audiences engaged with the brands and content is exceptionally important.
The speed and the extent of impact from tablets and e-readers will ultimately depend on how quickly the devices are taken up. UM London’s ‘Tablet in Touch’ research says 53% have no plans to buy a tablet or e-reader, and with the Apple iPad retailing at £399 it might take longer than 2012 before the tablet market really takes off.
Paul Barnes
Media Analyst
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