11 million Aussies to use media tablets by 2016

The popularity of media tablets is growing in Australia, with 2.6 million people already using one and an estimated 11 million predicted to be using one by 2016, according to analyst firm Telsyte.

The 2016 estimate of tablet users - 11 million - is half of Australia’s present-day population (22 million).

The Telsyte Australian media tablet study 2012 indicates more than 1.4 million media tablets were sold in Australia in 2011, representing an annual growth rate of more than 330%. This market was worth around $1 billion in 2011.

In 2012, the firm expects more than 2 million media tablets will be sold locally, growing to 5 million by 2016.

Apple’s iPad remains the most popular device, making up around 76% of industry sales in 2011, or a little more than 1 million units.

According to Telsyte, Microsoft’s incoming Windows 8 has the potential to accelerate the tablet market, particularly in the business segment.

The firm predicts mobile carriers will be a growing channel for vendors, particularly with the arrival of LTE (4G) tablets in 2012.