Despite its color, sexy design and fancy apps, the iPad is not a Kindle killer-in fact, both devices will enjoy robust growth in 2011.
According to a new report issued by Forrester, tablet computer sales should skyrocket this year, jumping over 130 percent from the 10.3 million units sold in 2010 to 24 million in 2011.
Given Apple’s dominance in the tablet market, it’s a safe bet that a huge chunk of the 2010 tablet sales figures represents iPads: eMarketer estimates that 8.5 million of the devices were sold last year. But in 2011, dozens of iPad competitors are expected to flood the burgeoning market.
While the tablet category is scorching hot, e-readers have not been tossed aside as many predicted. Forrester expects that the number of e-readers in the market will surge by 50 percent in 2011 to 15.5 million units.
That trend jives with survey data released yesterday (Jan. 3) by J.P. Morgan, which found in December that brand awareness for Amazon’s Kindle-the leading e-reader-is at 76 percent (versus 84 percent for the iPad), and 28 percent of survey respondents said they either own a Kindle or plan to buy one in the next 12 months.
Perhaps most interestingly, J.P. Morgan found that 40 percent of iPad owners also own a Kindle, and that another 23 percent of iPad owners plan to buy a Kindle in the next year. “I do believe people like to have two different devices,” said J.P. Morgan analyst Imran Khan.