According to Parks Associates, 48% of U.S. broadband households now own at least one tablet, up from nearly 33% a year ago. 22% of households reported a tablet purchase, while only 7% purchased an e-reader in 2012, down from 9% in 2011.

And that apparently is just a start with growth expected to continue as OEMs release more tablets aimed at the high and low ends of the tablet market. “Amazon has expanded the low end of the tablet market with the Kindle Fire, whereas Microsoft is making a credible push at the higher end [with Surface Pro],” said Jennifer Kent, senior analyst at Parks Associates.

In addition, efforts by content providers such as Viacom are also worth noting, providing apps and services to view its content on tablets, helping drive wider tablet adoption.

As you would expect, the rise of tablets threaten other consumer electronics categories such as e-readers and PCs. In fact, tablet purchases surpassed desktop purchases for the first time in 2012 and will match or exceed laptop purchases in 2013.

However, tablets are caught in the middle ground between smartphones and notebooks, which can create challenges for manufacturers as they try to distinguish their models. For example, Barnes & Noble recently reported losses in its Nook e-reader division and will now turn to third parties to manufacture the color version of its tablet. And even Apple is facing declining profits as the company has not released any new products in several months.

From the article, "Almost half of US broadband households now own a tablet" by Dusan Belic.

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