UK:Tablet growth fuels rise of the four-screen household

Nearly one-quarter (23%) of the population in Great Britain have access to four screens at home (TV, computer, smartphone and tablet), versus just 11% six months ago, according to Kantar Media.

Kantar Media’s syndicated FutureProofstudy found that as the range of media devices available in the home grow, consumers are selecting their device depending on the occasion.

Seven in 10 of those with access to a tablet said these devices are shared by two or more adults in the household, while 79% said their children also use them. With tablets, consumers were more likely to use their device at home every day (49%) rather than when out and about (7%).

Smartphones, on the otherhand, are used when on the go. Fifty-three percent of smartphone users claim to use their device to search for information on a product or service while in-store, versus 26% of tablet users.

Seventy-percent of smartphone and tablet users use their device for searching information on products and services, with tablet users more likely than smartphone users to purchase products on their device – 55% versus 41%, respectively.

Demand for content such as catch-up TV is also higher on tablets (26%) than smartphones (8%). Popular activities