Tablet sales poised to surpass eReader

TORONTO, CANADA: While sales for tablets such as Apple's iPad have yet to surpass those of eReaders, they are poised to surpass eReader penetration in Canada.

In a recent survey from the market research company, The NPD Group reports only six per cent of Canadians currently own a tablet, the same percentage as those who own eReaders.

Launched as a more user-friendly format for viewing multimedia content such as books, magazines, videos and online apps, tablets were expected to take the market by storm; yet after a year on the market, only a small, affluent few have purchased the device.

"Our research shows that there's definitely an existing demand for tablets among Canadians and substantial growth potential; yet, many Canadians are still biding their time before they make the leap of purchasing the device," said Darrel Ryce, director of technology and entertainment, The NPD Group.

Ryce added, "However, those who have a tablet are very satisfied with the device, which is clearly evident in usage data that indicates half of tablet owners are using the device two to six hours a day."

The study reveals that while eReader ownership numbers currently remain comparable to those of tablets, their growth potential is significantly more limited than that of tablets.

"While the market for eReaders tends to be slimmer than that for tablets, those who intend to buy eReaders are very committed," said Ryce.

The study also reveals a future shift in how the device will be used. While only nine per cent of today's owners use the device to read newspapers, 30 per cent of intended purchasers will be perusing the pages of Canada's dailies on the device and 27 per cent will use it to read magazines.

"This is an important development for eReader manufacturers, because it reveals that consumers' reasons for buying the device is beginning to change; how quickly the manufacturers adapt to that change will determine how successful it will be in the future," concluded Ryce.