Connected-Device Adoption Increasing in Older Demographics

NEW YORK: According to Nielsen’s latest quarterly survey of mobile connected-device owners, the percentage of consumers over the age of 55 who are using smartphones, tablets and eReaders is on the rise.

In the third quarter of 2010, 62 percent of tablet owners were under the age of 34; only 10 percent were over the age of 55. By Q2 2011, this had shifted to 46 percent of tablet owners being under 34 and the percentage of owners over 55 had increased to 19 percent. For smartphones, Q3 2010 showed 16 percent of owners were over 55, with the number increasing to 18 percent by Q2 2011. eReader ownership is also on the rise among older demographics. In the third quarter of 2010, 25 percent of those 55-plus owned an eReader, increasing 5 percent by Q2 2011.