While tablets are shrinking and smartphones are just getting bigger, people are still using them in very different ways. Flurry has some new data to show just how the two devices diverge and how their users compare. And it generally comes down to this: tablets appeal to an older and more gender-balanced audience, who like to use their tablets for entertainment and media, preferably over long sessions at night.
Some of this has already been reported, but it’s interesting to see how the differences remain, even as tablets sales accelerate and smartphone adoption has passed the 50 percent mark in the U.S. The data, which was pulled from 500 million smart devices in use during September, show how tablets and smartphones serve different use cases and needs.
I found it interesting that tablet usage is pretty evenly balanced among men and women. We’ve reported last year that women have gravitated more to e-readers while men have adopted tablets, but it seems like tablets are now common ground for both genders. It’s also interesting to note just how much game-playing happens on tablets, which makes sense because as we’ve noted mobile games are most often played at home, where the tablet is most often used.
Take a look at some of the charts:
