Parents are now twice as likely to buy tablets instead of gaming handsets, for their children.
The success of tablet sales could be responsible for poor handheld gaming sales, judging by a UK study.
Tablets are now the preferred portable gaming device for children, outperforming the Nintendo 3DS and the PlayStation Vita. The Futuresource Consulting study reveals 44% of British kids aged between three and twelve own a tablet.
Out of the mix, a whopping 30% of the young tablet owners are aged between three and four. There is also a much higher likelihood of parents purchasing a tablet over a portable gaming console for their children. The preference of buying a Nexus, iPad or a Galaxy is twice as high compared to portable gaming devices.
Despite the amount of free apps on offer, the statistics show parents aren’t hesitant to spend money on apps either. 17% of parents surveyed spent more than £100 per year on apps.
The smartphone craze could also be contributing to poor handheld gaming device sales. 25% of all 9 to 10-year-olds own a smartphone. Almost half of 11 to 12-year-olds also own a handset. These figures are bad news for companies like Nintendo, who rely on sales of the handheld DS range for revenue. Disappointing Wii U sales combined with Sony"s growing dominance has led to a drop in Nintendo"s share prices.
Poor Wii U sales and Sony"s increasing popularity led to a fall of Nintendo"s shares.
Perhaps, the popularity of tablets could see the end of the handheld gaming device generation. There was one statistic that proved to be shocking, book reading remains the most popular activity among youths at 45%. It appears even the latest trends in technology cannot dethrone this classic pastime.
Source: MCV via T3 | Mother and Daughter playing with digital tablet via Shuttershock, Latest Myanmar
