Sep
12
2012
The Unexpected Contender of the Tablet Wars

The Unexpected Contender of the Tablet Wars

In the last post, I shared that 9 percent of consumers shop via sites on tablet computers. While this is a small number for now, tablets are worthy of consideration. CNET’s Don Reisinger debates whether or not tablets will eventually replace laptops.

Almost half of consumers surveyed by Poll Position feel tablets will replace laptops. Gartner says 77 per cent of consumers who bought a tablet use laptops less frequently.
Consumer Electronics Association reports that 29 percent of American consumers own tablet consumers. 45 percent of consumers plan on buying a tablet in the next two years. Tablet sales are already up, increasing by 9 percent during the last quarter.

As Gartner expects tablet sales to double during 2012, Samsung, PC and e-book readers are the three major category contenders in the fight for some of Apple’s leading market share. While Apple’s iOS devices, Android tablet and Microsoft’s new Windows 8 tablet battle it out, Amazon may have 7” and 10” versions of Kindle Fire in the works.

Rumored versions of Kindle Fire may steal more of the limelight from Google’s Nexus 7, which is priced similarly to the existing Kindle Fire and, according to its website, contains the world’s largest collection of e-books. Plus music, movies and TV shows.

Along with Amazon’s fight to innovate, Samsung’s Galaxy Note 10.1 is a worthy contender. Additionally, Microsoft plans its own tablet computer, Surface, with a full-sized keypad.
What do these tablet innovation battles mean for you and your e-commerce business?

Earlier this year, Apple CEO Tim Cook reported that 55 million iPads have been sold during the last 18 months, outselling iPods and iPhones in their respective first 18 months. Cook goes on to predict that iPads will outsell PCs in 2012. During last year’s holiday season, Adobe Research found that consumers spend 54 percent longer on sites when using tablets than they would when using mobile phones. Tablet users purchase 20 per cent more than desktop users. Do you want to target these users?

How do you use your tablet? How will your consumers want to interact with you from their tablets? When will you begin to reach out to them in your mobile-first strategy?
To discuss how tablet users will use your e-commerce site, contact Inflexion Interactive.

Scott Delea
-Managing Partner, Inflexion Interactive

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