Tablet popularity surging in Britain

As in other areas of the world, tablet computers are proving to be a hot commodity in Britain, where as many as one-quarter of the residents could own a tablet by the end of 2012.

According to research from broadcasting company BSkyB, 1 in 10 Britons say they received a tablet for the holidays, and an additional 16 percent expect to purchase one within the next year.

The growth of tablet computers is expected to have an impact in several areas. For example, 45 percent of those with plans to purchase a tablet say they will use their desktop and laptop PCs less as a result. Also, tablets are changing the way people consume media, with approximately 2 million Britons already using mobile apps to watch TV.

In total, as many as 8 million tablets are expected to sell in Britain in 2012.

This represents a sizable piece of the overall 2012 tablet market, which according to research firm Gartner, will see more than 100 million units shipped. This is a significant jump compared to the 63.7 million tablets that shipped in 2011.