Media

Are Tablets the Fourth Screen?

March 25, 2011 | By Saya Weissman

If 2010 was finally the “Year of Mobile,” there’s little doubt many will proclaim 2011 the ‘Year of the iPad.”

It may seem like it’s been with us forever, but the iPad only launched less than a year ago. Since then, Apple has sold over 15 million. Publishers are rushing out iPad apps, advertisers are getting on board, while Apple competitors are bringing iPad rivals to the market. But much remains unknown about tablets, most notably whether they’re an extension of the desktop computer, the mobile phone or something quite different. Many are opting to look at tablets as a unique category.

It’s the hardware size that separates tablets from mobile, according to Michael Kassan, CEO of MediaLink, “because I can’t fit this in my pocket, no matter how hard I try.”

In the same vein, James Smith, chief revenue officer of Flixster made the distinction that the tablet is not as personal as the mobile phone. “I’m not going to bring my iPad into the bathroom with me like I would a phone,” he said.

Some skip the mobile comparison entirely and view the iPad as an offshoot of laptop and desktop computers. Jamie Wells, director of global trade marketing at Microsoft, said consumers are using tablets much more like their computer than phones. “It’s a WiFi device,” he said. “We’re seeing the same search traffic on home PCs as we are on tablets.”

Despite the excitement, there are things the tablet can’t do, of course. Smith noted, “96 percent of people aren’t going to have a tablet, but they will have a phone.”

https://digiday.com/?p=3533

Digiday Top Stories

Member Exclusive
Media Briefing: The pros, cons of three pricing models for publisher, sportbook content deals
Publishers and sportsbooks are looking for new payout models beyond the standard cost-per-acquisition structure, which is priced on average between $200-500 per new customer.
Gaming & Esports
The New York Times looks to gaming vertical to grow subscriptions
The Times' use of games as a subscriber funnel is part of a renewed focus on gaming sparked by the company's acquisition of Wordle in January.
Beyond Ads
Inside the NFL’s youth-focused social strategy
As part of the NFL Content Creator Network, the league is engaging with fans in new, innovative ways via gaming or just through creative social media activations.
Sponsored
How FAST channels are redefining primetime opportunities for advertisers
Sponsored by Vevo With the competition from content providers continuing to build, the traditional primetime TV slots are no longer guaranteeing the mass audiences they once did. Television viewership is evolving, and the primetime window of 8–11 p.m. is less broadly reflective of younger audiences’ content consumption habits. In 2022, attracting TV viewers is a […]
Personalization
Publishers test personalizing newsletters with varying degrees of success
Publishers are testing personalizing newsletter content based on readers’ interests - but it doesn't always work.
Evolving Agencies
Indie agency Known beats out incumbents to land AMC Networks’ media business
In essence, Known is helping AMC Networks become more of a direct-to-consumer client as the programmer expands into more streaming options on top of its linear foothold.