Apple’s iPad is projected to almost double its audience in the U.S. in 2012, according to projections from eMarketer, a research and analysis firm. Their report projects iPad use to reach 53.2 million in the U.S., up more than 90 percent over last year. This represents more than a 75 percent market share among tablet owners in the U.S.
That growth is down from last year’s 144 percent growth, and eMarketer projects a continued decline in the growth rate, with growth in 2015 to be only 12 percent. Of course, that’s partly because with such explosive growth about one-third of all U.S. Internet users will have a tablet by then.
The fastest growth is in the under-12 and the 65-and-older age groups, which currently have relatively low tablet usage. Those most likely to use a tablet are between the ages of 25 and 44; in that group around one-third will be using a tablet in 2012. Right now eMarketer estimates that 54 percent of tablet users are male, but they expect the gender split to be roughly even by 2015.
Source: eMarketer {link no longer active}
