Analyst: tablets are now a 'primary video device'

Tablet technology has come a long way in a short time. A new report exploring how consumers actually use their tablets found that the device is slowly but surely becoming a one-stop shop for movie and TV viewers.

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Research group In-Stat said on Tuesday that 50 percent of tablet owners use the device to stay updated on their favorite TV shows and watch movies, and that by 2016 the number of on-the-go video viewers will increase threefold. The analysts called the discovery "an important revelation to both content producers and providers alike," and hinted that both parties should ignore the new media delivery avenue at their own peril.

Keith Nissen, In-Stat research director, said that the technology will only grow from here.

"By 2015, our research projects that 65 percent of the US population will own a smartphone and/or tablet," said Nissen. "As these devices become a center-point for video engagement and consumption, content providers, device manufacturers, and operators need to support a multiscreen usage model that reflects social interaction, screen interaction, personalization, and mobility."

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One main driver of tablet sales will likely be Apple. The popular iPad rules the market, and the company itself maintains stronger customer loyalty than competitors. According to In-Stat, households that favor Apple on average contain four iDevices. In contrast, a family composed of Google lovers will only own two Android products.

The iPad debuted last year and broke the one million sales mark in a month. Its successor, the iPad 2, sold the same in its opening weekend this past spring. Rumors about the upcoming iPad3 continue to churn, most recently hinting at an early 2012 launch. Apple is purportedly jumping from the iPad standard 1024x768 screen resolution to a more impressive 2048x1536 for the third iteration.

Additionally, In-Stat revealed that 60 percent of those with smart phones and tablets will use them to connect to paid content providers while 86 percent in total will watch something on the go. (via Home Media Magazine)

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Do you more and more find yourself using a tablet to watch movies and TV shows when you're out of the house? Let us know in the comment section.

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