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04/10/2013
Young Children Turn To Tablet Computers
The number of children who own a mobile phone is going down, as youngsters reject basic handsets and increasingly turn to tablet computers to access the internet.
The finding is part of Ofcom's wide-ranging "Children and Parents: Media Use and Attitudes Report", which examines how children access and use different types of media, and the role parents play in overseeing them.
For the first time since the survey began in 2005, the overall number of children aged 5-15 owning a mobile phone has fallen – from 49% last year to 43% in 2013.
This was mainly because the proportion of younger children (8-11) who own a basic mobile phone – as opposed to a smartphone – fell steeply to 15%, from 28% last year. Among this age group, 18% now own a smartphone, and the same proportion own a tablet computer. While the smartphone figure is largely stable year-on-year, tablet ownership has grown four-fold among 8-11s since last year (from 4%).
The study shows that younger and older children have different priorities when it comes to connected devices. Among older children (12-15), smartphones remain more widely used than tablets. Around three in five (62%) own a smartphone – unchanged since last year – but 26% now own a tablet computer, up from just 7% last year.
Tablet computers are growing fast in popularity, becoming a must-have device for children of all ages. The use of tablets1 has tripled among 5-15s since 2012 (42%, up from 14%), and one quarter (28%) of infants aged 3-4 now use a tablet computer at home.
Similarly, tablet usage is rising rapidly among 5-7 year olds (39%, from 11% last year) and 8-11 year olds (44%, from 13%). These devices are becoming more popular among these youngest internet users, who are five times more likely than last year to mostly use a tablet when accessing the internet at home (19%, from 4%).
At the same time, more traditional devices are being used less to go online, with the proportion of children mainly using a laptop, netbook or desktop computer falling to 68% – down from 85% in 2012. Twice as many children as last year are mainly using other devices to go online, with tablets (13%) and mobiles (11%) the most popular choices.
Children's preference for internet-enabled devices reflects changes in how younger people are going online. While the usability of tablets appears to meet younger children’s entertainment needs, particularly for watching audio-visual content and playing games, older children mainly use smartphones to communicate.
Children with smartphones send an estimated 184 instant messages (IM) in a typical week. Traditional text messaging (SMS) remains a highly popular way of communicating for youngsters, especially those aged 12-15. These teenagers send on average 255 text messages per week, up from 193 last year.
(CD/IT)
The finding is part of Ofcom's wide-ranging "Children and Parents: Media Use and Attitudes Report", which examines how children access and use different types of media, and the role parents play in overseeing them.
For the first time since the survey began in 2005, the overall number of children aged 5-15 owning a mobile phone has fallen – from 49% last year to 43% in 2013.
This was mainly because the proportion of younger children (8-11) who own a basic mobile phone – as opposed to a smartphone – fell steeply to 15%, from 28% last year. Among this age group, 18% now own a smartphone, and the same proportion own a tablet computer. While the smartphone figure is largely stable year-on-year, tablet ownership has grown four-fold among 8-11s since last year (from 4%).
The study shows that younger and older children have different priorities when it comes to connected devices. Among older children (12-15), smartphones remain more widely used than tablets. Around three in five (62%) own a smartphone – unchanged since last year – but 26% now own a tablet computer, up from just 7% last year.
Tablet computers are growing fast in popularity, becoming a must-have device for children of all ages. The use of tablets1 has tripled among 5-15s since 2012 (42%, up from 14%), and one quarter (28%) of infants aged 3-4 now use a tablet computer at home.
Similarly, tablet usage is rising rapidly among 5-7 year olds (39%, from 11% last year) and 8-11 year olds (44%, from 13%). These devices are becoming more popular among these youngest internet users, who are five times more likely than last year to mostly use a tablet when accessing the internet at home (19%, from 4%).
At the same time, more traditional devices are being used less to go online, with the proportion of children mainly using a laptop, netbook or desktop computer falling to 68% – down from 85% in 2012. Twice as many children as last year are mainly using other devices to go online, with tablets (13%) and mobiles (11%) the most popular choices.
Children's preference for internet-enabled devices reflects changes in how younger people are going online. While the usability of tablets appears to meet younger children’s entertainment needs, particularly for watching audio-visual content and playing games, older children mainly use smartphones to communicate.
Children with smartphones send an estimated 184 instant messages (IM) in a typical week. Traditional text messaging (SMS) remains a highly popular way of communicating for youngsters, especially those aged 12-15. These teenagers send on average 255 text messages per week, up from 193 last year.
(CD/IT)
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