Matt Kleinschmit
The new ‘must have’ device that is transforming media consumption.
After less than a year on the market, the iPad can already be described as a game changer. American consumers are demonstrating that Apple’s tablet is a relevant tool for a wide variety of tasks, from browsing the web to accessing digital content. Add in the ‘cool’ factor and throw in the possibility of turning the tablet into a video caller and the wide appeal of the iPad seems destined to grow even further.
According to a recent survey released by the global research and technology firm Vision Critical, the iPad has spawned a new category of devices. Both awareness of and purchase intent for Apple’s tablet continue to grow in the United States. In nine months, the proportion of American women who have heard something about the iPad has increased by 28 points. As the country was busy pondering holiday gift lists, one in five Americans aged 18 to 34 said they plan to buy Apple’s tablet in the next six months.
After months of learning more about the type of content, applications and usage scenarios available for Apple’s tablet, American consumers are increasingly considering the iPad and other tablets as a new, distinctive, product category – a fact that could lead to cannibalisation of sales for laptops and e-readers in the near future.
Disruptive
The findings show that the iPad has already become a disruptive technology. Compared to a survey conducted in the early stages of the iPad’s life, there is a clear shift: the iPad is now nearly equally associated with both a PC and an e-reader, suggesting that Apple’s tablet could be the device that breaks down the walls between mobile, PC and TV. American consumers have shown an increasing appetite for a wide variety of on-the-go digital media content. The industry will have to respond to this modification in how consumers are accessing all types of information.
These changes, however, do not mean that users – and prospective purchasers – are losing sight of the other features that the iPad has to offer. More than half of the Americans who are ready and willing to buy an iPad in the next six months are looking forward to browsing the Internet, using the tablet for photos, music and video, and accessing applications.
Still, almost half of respondents cite the elusive ‘must have’ factor: the iPad is simply a new and cool gadget that people want to own. While some users may still not be entirely sure about their actual ‘need’ for an iPad, they definitely know they want one as a ubiquitous tool that has the potential to become a major portal for a wide range of digital content.
Adapt
The final piece of the puzzle may come in the form of video calling. The rumours about the inclusion of Apple’s FaceTime application in the next iteration of the iPad have significantly boosted interest, particularly from younger Americans. Almost two-in-five consumers aged 18 to 34 find this idea appealing – a clear sign that the tablet’s consumer base could expand if video calls become available.
Thanks to the iPad, American consumers are increasingly accepting tablets as a new product category. It is now up to content creators – including the publishing, video and gaming industries – to adapt and understand just ‘how’ consumers are digesting content in order to survive in this new digital media world.
Innovations like the iPad are destined to have a profound effect on the market research industry on a global level, particularly as survey companies continue to struggle with finding ways to make research less intrusive, and data collection more effective. Our research shows that consumers can be expected to rely on the iPad and other tablets for digital media content. Establishing original paths to engage with these customers and citizens will be extremely important.
Matt Kleinschmit is Senior Vice President of Media at Vision Critical.
