Tablet usage is increasing in the United States and 65% of 8 to 17 year olds are using one on a daily basis. The vast majority of this age group is not using their parents device, but have complete ownership with few restrictions. One of the most popular thing to do is reading, and ebook usage is on the rise.
YouGov recently conducted research into the younger generation – currently dubbed Gen Z – and tablet usage reveals that younger children, ages 8 to 11, boast the highest rates of regular usage (74%). Regular usage declines in older children but even then, more than half of 12-14 year-olds (67%) and 15 to 17 year-olds (52%) say they frequently use a tablet like an iPad, Amazon Fire, or LeapFrog Epic Tablet.
Among Gen Z’ers who use a tablet regularly, personal ownership is likely to be high. Eight in ten of these regular users 81% say they have their own tablets, with personal ownership highest among 15- to 17 year-olds are at 90%. A quarter of frequent tablet users stated that they don’t own their own tablet, but have access to one through parents or siblings.
What type of things are Gen Z kids doing on their tablets? Watching videos and music is the most popular but I was surprised to learn that 38% of them are reading ebooks.
Here are some quick data points:
Michael Kozlowski is the editor-in-chief at Good e-Reader and has written about audiobooks and e-readers for the past fifteen years. Newspapers and websites such as the CBC, CNET, Engadget, Huffington Post and the New York Times have picked up his articles. He Lives in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
