Tablets will play key role in future tech trends, comScore says

The popularity of tablet computers has done nothing but grow after the devices first hit the market in 2010. Since then, computer manufacturers have introduced a wide variety of tablets to fuel the market’s growth.

And it appears as if little will change moving forward, according to the US Digital Future Focus report from comScore. The market analysis firm says the devices will continue to alter and shape digital content consumption habits for the foreseeable future.

"2012 promises to be an exciting year for the digital media industry as the explosion of available content and proliferation of web-enabled devices drive the evolution of the digital consumer, creating new opportunities and challenges for the entire digital ecosystem," comScore chief marketing officer and executive vice president Linda Abraham says.

By the end of 2012, the report states, 8 percent of all digital traffic will be consumed on mobile devices, such as tablets and smartphones. This trend will only continue with the growth of the mobile market, comScore says.

Fellow research firm Canalys released a report in January that highlights the continued strength of tablets, noting that the devices accounted for 22 percent of PC sales in the fourth quarter of 2011.