Study reveals tablet owner characteristics

A new report from consumer research firm GfK MRI sheds new light on the characteristics of a typical tablet owner. The study examines how consumers are interacting with different forms of media and reveals key gender differences.

According to the report, competition between print journalism and digital journalism may not be as significant as originally thought. Consumers do not seem to be embracing one platform to the exclusion of the other. Tablet owners are 66 percent more likely than the average U.S adult to be heavy readers of print magazines, the study found. Tablet owners are also 54 percent more likely than the average adult to be heavy readers of print newspapers.

But when choosing a device for mobile reading, men and women show distinct preferences. According to the study, females were 52 percent more likely to own an eReader than their male counterparts. Conversely, men were 26 percent more likely the women to own a tablet.

The report suggests this male tablet preference may be the result of the device's flashier and more attractive perception.

Findings from the Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project suggest that eReader sales have doubled since November of last year, while tablet sales have grown modestly but consistently. To compete with the rising popularity of eReaders, tablet manufacturers may have to distinguish their devices by showcasing the tablet's potential for more exciting and more varied digital experiences.