Surprising Numbers from Simba Information's The iPad and Its Owner 2014

Only half of iPad owners read ebooks on their devices, according to Simba Information’s latest study, The iPad and Its Owner: Key Trends and Statistics 2014. The study is Simba’s second publication on iPad usage and is the culmination of a proprietary, nationally representative survey of 2,000 adults. The big takeaway from The iPad and Its Owner is that access to ebooks on tablets does not translate to ebook purchases.

Simba Information found that the number of ebook consumers among iPad owners grew slightly over the past year, but attributes that to the general growth of iPad ownership (6.6% of adults in 2010 to 20% today). Despite this increased consumption, the amount spent on ebooks has dropped.

According to the study, Kindle Fire ebook consumption is more robust. 75.2% of Kindle Fire owners read ebooks on their devices, but Simba Information does not anticipate that number will grow. “I wouldn’t be surprised if it dips into the 60s by February,” says Simba senior analyst Michael Norris, “as a lot of emphasis on the product now has to do with movies, film and streaming.”

The most surprising survey result indicates that iPad owners tend to read print more than the average adult. 56.2% of adults didn’t buy a single paperback book in the last 12 months, while only 44.4% of iPad owners did not purchase paperbacks. In the realm of hardcover, 15% of iPad owners read 10 or more hardcovers in the last year compared to 11% of adults.

Norris emphasizes that iPad owners tend to consume all forms of media more frequently—print and ebook alike—and publishers must find a way to capitalize on this valuable demographic.

You can purchase the full report here.

Straight From the Editor's Mouth
Michael Norris, senior editor and analyst at Simba Information, has spent much of the last three years gathering and studying data on iPad and tablet usage in relation to reading habits. As a result, he has gained insights into the industry that add weight to the numbers shared in his latest study. Here are just a few things publishers should take into consideration as they review The iPad and Its Owner.