Study: 27 Mil. Americans Planning Tablet Purchase

Similar to how the Eee PC was the netbook that launched a thousand others, it seems the iPad has awakened in us a desperate desire for slate PCs. However, despite the popularly of the Apple design, it seems many of us are waiting for something different before jumping on the tablet bandwagon.

Wired cites a recent report by Forrester Research which shows that, although millions of Americans plan to buy a tablet next year, only a small fraction of them are sold on the idea of an iPad. Forrester reports that currently, just 1.9 percent of U.S. online consumers already own a tablet device. However, 14 percent, or 27 million, of online consumers have plans to buy a tablet in the next year. Of this 14 percent, a reported 3.8 percent of people said they had they planned to buy an iPad.

The study, based on a survey on nearly 4,000 people, also found that despite very little in the way of public advertising, respondents had a knowledge of upcoming iPad competitors, such as HP's Slate, and current offerings from Archos and FusionGarage's web-tablet, the JooJoo.

Do you think you'll buy a tablet in the next 12 months/in 2011? If so, are you committed to an iPad or will you be looking elsewhere? Let us know in the comments below!

TOPICS

Jane McEntegart is a writer, editor, and marketing communications professional with 17 years of experience in the technology industry. She has written about a wide range of technology topics, including smartphones, tablets, and game consoles. Her articles have been published in Tom's Guide, Tom's Hardware, MobileSyrup, and Edge Up.

53 Comments Comment from the forums

letsplaytoast

No
Reply
cmcghee358

Nope
Reply
Trueno07

Maybe.
Reply
antilycus

Study: When 1 out of 1 people were asked, they answered no. absolutely, unequivocally, making it a fact that NOBODY has any urge to purchase a tablet anything.
Reply
azcoyote

Win7 and CULV Intel with HDMI port and HD graphics and I will be in...

Until then... Nope...
Reply
sliem

Screw Apple with their overpriced iPads.
Reply
samely

I'm interested, but would never get an iPad.
Reply
COLGeek

I would put VERY little faith in these estimates. Current gen tech makes for cool toys, but not solid tools. I can't imagine 27M US customers wanting such toys. None for me, thank you very much.
Reply
Nightsilver

No.
Reply
dark_lord69

LOL!!!
Where the hell did they pull that number from!?
"based on a survey on nearly 4,000 people"
That all live in the same high class city?
I really think they need a better sampling in multiple cities across america for those numbers to be more realistic.

If I was in a room filled with gamers you can bet the percentage would be skewed if I asked them if they planned to buy the next Diablo game.

Why don't you go to a lower class neighborhood and see how your numbers come out.

The answer to your question...
No, I'm not planning on buying one anytime soon.
Reply

Show more comments