American household penetration rates for tablets to post largest growth in 2012

Telecom Lead America: American household penetration
rates for tablet computers will record their largest growth in 2012.

U.S. household penetration levels for tablets have
increased 14 percentage points from last year and represent the largest
increase in the industry.

Smartphones and HDTVs are the top consumer electronics
(CE) products U.S. households plan to buy over the next 12 months.

The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) said
Smartphones will be the most purchased CE device this year.

22 percent U.S. households plan to buy the device in 12
months. HDTVs (17 percent) and digital cameras (15 percent) are next on the
list.

Mobile computing will continue to be a popular purchase
this year as well. Both tablet computers and notebook/laptop computers are
expected to be purchased by 14 percent of U.S. households.

Tablet computers are a leading growth category over the
past 12 months. Blu-ray players and digital media players also saw double digit
growth in household penetration numbers:

Consistent with past research and trends we are seeing,
tablets and smartphones will continue their dominance in the marketplace over
the coming year,” said Chris Ely, CEA’s manager of industry analysis.

More households are subscribing to video rental and
streaming services. Nearly 31 million U.S. households (26 percent) will be
watching content streamed online and growth will continue this year as nine
percent of new households are expected to subscribe to a video rental and
steaming service this year.

Of the 37 CE devices surveyed, the average U.S. household
owns 24, the same number as last year, and spent $961 on consumer electronics
over the past 12 months, down more than $200 from last year. The average adult
individually reports spending $552 on CE in the past 12 months, down $100.

editor@telecomlead.com