With tablet sales continuing to grow, Strategy Analytics Wireless Device Lab has recently undertaken a series of focus groups and individual UX benchmarks with existing tablet owners and intenders in the US to try to understand how users are using their existing tablets, and what unmet needs they may have.

Our recently published report, 'How to Deliver a Differentiated Tablet Experience', found that:

• The main features used by tablet owners currently are general web surfing (especially for quick searches, checking news etc.) and messaging (especially Email and Social Networking).
• More than half of owners say they use their tablet `daily' or `often' for Social Networking, Games, Picture Viewing, eReading, Music and Apps.
• Many tablet owners have found a way to adapt the product to their specific needs and behaviors. We believe that this flexibility is a key contributing factor to the strong emotional attachment that many tablet owners feel towards this product.
• Usage in the home represents approximately 60% of overall use by existing tablet owners.
• While the majority of tablet owners are very pleased with the user experience of their device, there are several common usability problems: lack of tablet-optimized apps, need to hold the tablet at all times, poor text input experience, and - specifically related to the iPad - lack of Flash and closed content ecosystems.

Strategy Analytics believes that opportunities for differentiating the user experience of touchscreen and tablet products will evolve across many levels of the product/service proposition. These areas will include:

• Faster processing
• New form-factors
• Display and HMI enhancements
• Unique service and content propositions

 Clients of our Wireless Device Lab can read the full report here.

- Paul Brown

Apple recently announced that they have sold 1 million iPads in just 28 days. This high demand in the US meant Apple had to delay launches around the rest of the world. From 28th May customers in nine countries around the world will be able to purchase an iPad, while pre-orders began yesterday. In the UK, prices will start at £429 including tax for the 16GB WiFi only model, and will rise to £699 for the 64GB WiFi + 3G version (with data charges extra). It will be interesting to see how successful the iPad launch is in the UK. A recent Strategy Analytics survey found that one-third of respondents in the UK were interested in purchasing an iPad compared to over half of respondents in the US. When price was factored in, the model respondents were most interested in was the 16GB WiFi only version, but less than 1 in 5 respondents were interested. In the US, price had little influence on respondents interest. As the launch of the iPhone demonstrated, when it comes to mobile devices, consumers in the UK are more price-sensitive that their US counterparts and fewer consider the Apple brand to be compelling. Our data suggests that this will be the case for the iPad too. One thing Apple always does well is produce compelling advertising campaigns, and I have no doubt this will help to create a further buzz around the iPad in the UK, and I will be watching with interest to see how long it takes Apple to sell its first million iPads outside the US. - Paul Clients of Strategy Analytics can read the following iPad related reports: iPad Interest Higher in US than UK: Web Browsing Most Desired Feature User Evaluation: Apple iPad