Research released today (9th December) by the Internet Advertising Bureau (IAB) has revealed consumers feel that even with extensive developments in tablet devices a role still remains for smartphones, desktops & laptops – allowing them to retain their staying power in consumers’ portfolio of devices.
This study which was delivered by research agency Sparkler, in partnership with panel providers On Device Research, looks to understand the ways in which users consume content across the three devices. Over 600 respondents were recruited according to their ownership of different devices - 413 who owned both smartphones and desktop/laptops, and 256 who owned tablets, smartphones and desktop/laptops.
The research mapped out respondents daily usage patterns verifying how the three devices can work in harmony within consumer’s day to day lives. Mobile takes the hot spot on the morning commute; dipping mid-afternoon allowing the desktop/laptop to take over, with tablet usage surging in the evening – more than 50% of tablet interactions taking place in the late evening (between 7 - 12pm) resulting in tablets being the most used device amongst owners in the evening. Tablet usage really accelerated during the weekends with 25% of respondents choosing to use their device during their ‘downtime’ and 49% agreeing the tablet is the device that best allows them to be entertained.
Not only was the tablet seen as the preferred ‘downtime’ device but the research also highlighted that the majority of people with tablets are dual screening, with 51% of all tablet usage occasions occurring in front of the TV. In fact tablet owners are fifty per cent more likely to use their tablet to dual screen than their mobile (35%) or their PC ( 33%)
The research proves no device is written off – Out of the tablet and nontablet users nearly two thirds would replace their broken or lost laptop with another and not opt to replace it with a tablet or mobile, proving just how established consumers relationships are with their PC.
Touchscreens have changed the way consumer’s use their device – Developments in functionality have really improved users online experience, 27% of respondents claiming they click on ads more on their tablet than they did before and 65% are now using their device to browse online stores. For both smartphones and tablets social networking took the top slot as the number one preferred activity.
Premium v freemium - When asked 82% of smartphone users and 73% of tablet owners stated that not paying a subscription but having advertising on websites was the preferred approach. Only 18% of smartphone users and 27% of tablet owners said they would be happy to go for a subscription based model and have to pay for the content they want to access over seeing ads on their chosen websites.
Personal Invitation or Personal Invasion - There is an opportunity for both smartphones and tablet advertising to position itself as a ‘personal invitation’ to consumers. The majority of both of smartphone, tablet and PC users (52%), and smartphone and PC users (55%) see advertising as a ‘personal invitation’, with the other half seeing it as a personal invasion. Location seems a popular way for advertising to become more relevant for consumers, with the majority (59%) of respondents saying that advertising using their GPS location suits them.
The IAB’s senior mobile manger, Alex Kozloff said: “This study has proven how tablets are a device that have found a place amongst the suite of devices today’s consumers own. It proves that tablets are neither phone nor PC but have carved out a unique position as a ‘downtime’ device and the go to for entertainment during weekends and evenings. This research indicates a bright future for tablets in the UK.”
Methodology
The study was entirely conducted on mobile, where respondents were asked to check in via a page on the mobile internet every time they used the internet or an app on a tablet, smartphone or PC over 2 days (a weekday and weekend day). Further to this, the respondents were asked a more in depth exit survey on completion of the task.
