What will be the top Tablet downloads by 2016

BANGALORE, INDIA: iPad and Android media tablet users have become and will remain avid app users over the next five years, averaging more than 31 downloads per year per media tablet. A new market intelligence study on emerging tablet applications found that 11 of the 13.7 billion app downloads forecasted for iPad and Android media tablets in 2016 will be focused on four categories: games, digital publishing, social networking, and e-commerce.

“Media tablet app consumption will mimic smartphone app use in some ways, but in many ways, it will be very 

different,” says Mark Beccue, senior analyst, ABI Research

He adds that Digital publishing of books, magazines, and newspapers will flourish on

media tablets in a way never seen on smartphones.  Increasingly, consumers will opt for the more versatile media 

tablet over dedicated eBook readers.  Leveraging unparalleled interactivity and design, publishers will gain new 

readers, including seniors (ages 60+) — who won’t need custom, large-print publications anymore — and children (ages 

1-9).

E-commerce will be transformed by media tablets as significant numbers of consumers forego online shopping on 

desktop computers for shopping on media tablets.  And while e-commerce will continue to depend on websites, apps 

will become increasingly important to shoppers who will take full advantage of the media tablet’s touchscreen interface 

and even camera and microphone capabilities.

Media tablets will become increasingly popular with groups that haven’t been associated with computing or mobile 

devices in the past — seniors and young children. “The magic of media tablets for seniors and children is the touch 

screen interface. It’s so intuitive,” adds Beccue.  “These demographic groups will rely heavily on downloaded apps 

over web surfing on their media tablets.” Apps designed for young children, such as books and interactive, educational 

games will become increasingly popular and may even propel media tablets to become the de facto replacement of 

personal DVD players, particularly in cars. In 2016, nearly one billion media tablet apps designed for young children will 

be downloaded.