What’s happening with tablets now?

According to the latest tablet research by Google across 11 countries, the one key message was that tablets are essential, not optional.

Other key points:

We have four screens in our lives: our smartphone, our TV, our PC, and our tablets – in 2017 tablets will outsell PCs.
Currently in Australia 17% have tablets and 14% going to buy in next year. Australia was number 2 in smartphone penetration in 2011, this year number 4 (due to increase tablet market).
Australians are early adopters, but tablets are no longer just for the early adopters, 47% are female and mothers (entertain themselves, Facebook, fotos and shop) 38% over 45 years
In the past tablets were thought of as luxury item, now they are mainstream, for example 21% of unemployed have tablets and 7% of students.

Why tablets?

Key activities shifting to tablets:

Mobile driven spend emerging as key area
Most searched topic is news and weather (where are we no longer getting that info from?)
Shopping is third most searched topic on tablets
81% tablet users reports using it for shopping, 53% make a purchase, of these 72% do so every month; top shopping is clothing, travel and entertainment items
Entertainment 4th most searched topic
44% report reading less books, magazines and newspapers
25% report watching less TV
71% play games at least once week
74% pay for content (subscriptions etc)

Productivity:

People bringing their personal tablets to work
37% using tablets to work
Consumerisation of IT – we have more powerful IT in our homes than in the office
“Your smartphone knows you better than anyone else”
43% using tablets for planning/management
35% describe tablets as productive, 45% as efficient, 56% as versatile
30% say tablets starting to replacing their computer

How we use devices:

Tablets complement other features, and are a unique channel
81% start an activity on one device and then finish it on another
66% report finishing purchase on desktop, therefore the experiences need to be seamless
64% use tablets with other devices, 40% use tablets while watching TV (is it related or unrelated? 29% are doing a complimentary activity while watching TV)
62% of tablets users share their tablet with someone else (spouse/partner, child)
33% use tablets simultaneously with someone else (watch videos, play games)
Tablet usage increases / peaks at night – not only are we multitasking we are “multiscreening” (i.e. using tablet and TV at same time)
95% use tablet at home
Tablets are increasingly on the go – 55% use it on the move
32% use at work, 20% in cafe

Device context: