A recent online study launched by Nielsen indicated that the smartphone penetration in Urban Egypt has reached 54 percent, followed by the laptop at 32 percent and the tablet by 13 percent.* While tablet penetration might seem very low, the unique decision making process and reasoning used by tablet owners indicate that there is a major untapped market waiting to be developed.
45 Percent Of Tablet Owners Don’t Own a Smartphone
50 Percent Of Current Tablet Users Without Smartphones Are Not Willing To Purchase One
Only 55 percent of tablet owners also own a smartphone, and 50 percent of the remaining respondents will not consider buying one. Respondents have indicated that the main uses they would have out of a smartphone they prefer to do via tablet, with an extended advantage of sharing that one tablet with younger family members when applicable.
“Through this syndicated study, we found out that the tablet is no longer a device to be left at home,” revealed Ahmed Gamal, Director of Consumer Insights at Nielsen Egypt & Levant. “Data package usage indicates that tablet owners are willing to free themselves from Wi-Fi limitations and invest in a 2G/3G package in order for the device to be truly mobile.”
These recent results also challenge the assumption that tablets and smartphones are complimentary to each other. The figures are proving that cannibalization is inevitable and device manufacturers might have to reach this conclusion and build new propositions accordingly.
“It was also interesting to note that the majority of tablet users ranged between the ages of 20 and 44, and over 50 percent of those who are parents allowed their children to use it. This could be a strong indicator of a growing future trend as new generations are more exposed to tablets, possibly carrying on their parents’ legacy and seeking to acquire their own eventually.”
THE CONNECTED DEVICES STUDY
In an effort to be in continuous touch with what is happening with the consumers’ world, Nielsen takes the initiative of launching studies outside of existing clients’ work briefs that would reveal insights that can make an impact on business and economy at large.
The results shared earlier is reflective of a portion of the first wave of the Nielsen Connected Devices Study designed to provide a comprehensive view of the usage of connected devices, specifically smartphones, tablets and laptops. Brand performance as well as the ‘path to purchase’ can help guide mobile manufacturers and retailers better fulfill market needs.
*This study excludes SEC E
