ComScore recently released the results of a survey measuring the awareness, attitudes and opinions towards the Apple iPad and other e-reader devices. It seems Apple’s new touch screen device is already beating competitors for the hearts and minds of consumers.
The results were taken from a survey of 2,176 internet users. They were then analysed across age and gender profiles, as well as the iOwner consumer segment (people already owning an iPhone or iPod Touch).
“The tablet and e-reader market is developing at a breakneck pace right now, and Apple’s entry into the market is sure to accelerate mainstream consumer adoption,” said Serge Matta, comScore executive vice president.
“These devices have the potential to be incredibly disruptive to the way consumers currently access digital content. While only time will tell exactly how consumer behaviour will change, our research suggests that not only will a variety of markets be impacted by the introduction of these devices but also that there are substantial opportunities for those in the digital content ecosystem.”
According to the findings, awareness of the Apple iPad is already very high among consumers. It achieved an awareness score of 65 per cent, which is the same as Amazon’s Kindle e-reader.
The Amazon Kindle rated the highest in terms of current device ownership with 6 per cent of online users, followed by the Sony Reader at 4 per cent. Apple rated highest when it came to consumers who were seriously considering purchase over the next three months, with a score of 15 per cent. The Amazon Kindle was at 14 per cent.
The research also highlighted that iOwners are much more willing to pay for content, compared to regular consumers. 52 per cent of iOwners said they were willing to pay for newspapers and magazine subscriptions specifically formatted for e-readers. This is compared to just 22 per cent of non-iOwners.
In addition, 50 per cent of iOwners who also own an e-reader said they had spent at least $60 on e-books in the past three months compared to only 24 per cent of non-iOwners.
“These findings suggest that those who are already familiar and comfortable with making digital content purchases via iTunes may have a relatively higher receptivity to making similar purchases for the iPad,” said Matta.