23% of U.S. Internet Users Already Own a Tablet

Today’s tablet users represent  31 percent of Internet users, up from 12 percent in 2011. Moreover, tablet ownership is expected to reach 47 percent of Internet users by 2013, according to a study conducted by Frank Magid Associates and sponsored by the Online Publishers Association. 


Accessing content and information was found to be the dominant activity on the device (94 percent), followed by accessing the internet (67 percent) and checking email (66 percent). 


The study also revealed that tablet users’ primary content-related activities include: watching video (54 percent), getting weather information (49 percent), and accessing national news (37 percent) and entertainment content (36 percent).


An earlier study had found 12 percent of the U.S. Internet population using tablets, the Online Publishers Association earlier found. 


As other studies have suggested, tablets are primarily content consumption devices. Some 87 percent of tablet users use their tablets to get access to content and information, the study found.


The earlier 2011 study suggested users now are broadly familiar with app downloads. Some 93 percent of tablet users have downloaded apps and the average tablet user has downloaded 20 apps.


Some 79 percent of app downloaders have paid for apps in the last 12 months, and 26 percent of all apps downloaded are paid apps. 


On average, those who have downloaded apps on tablets have spent $53 on apps in the past 12 months.