Flurry released new data that gives insight into the demographics of smartphones and tablets, as well as how people spend their time on the devices.

• Smartphone users tend to be younger than tablet users, 30 years of age versus 34 years of age
• Almost 75 percent of smartphone users are 34 years of age or younger
• More than 66 percent of tablet users are over the age of 25
• Smartphones break down 56 percent male and 44 percent female
• Tablets split by gender are 51 percent male and 49 percent female
• 67 percent of time spent on tablets is attributed to playing games
• 39 percent of time spent on smartphones is attributed to playing games

According to Strategy Analytics, and a VentureBeat article, we have a pretty good view of what is happening in the mobile market with respect to smartphones and tablets. Growth continues in the market and Android continues to gain market share from Apple.

• Global tablet shipments reached 24.7 million units in the third quarter of 2012
• Apple iOS slipped to 57 percent global market share
• Android captured a 41 percent global market share
• Apple shipped 14.0 million iPads worldwide in Q3
• Global Android tablet shipments doubled annually to 10.2 million units
• Global tablet shipments grew just 43 percent annually in Q3 2012, compared with 289 percent annually in Q2 2011.
• 162 million smartphones sold globally in the third quarter of 2012
• While Samsung shipped 56.9 million smartphone units
• Apple shipped 26.9 million iPhones

55 million iPads have been sold since the launch of the original SKU in spring 2010.

Apple predicts that by 2015, the number of iPads sold will reach 325 million units.

According to Home Media Magazine, IHS iSuppli has revised its estimate for iPad shipments in 2011 based on manufacturing and quality control difficulties.

• Apple is now forecast to ship 39.7 Million iPads in 2011
• Non-iPad tablets are forecast to reach 111.1 million by 2013
• iPad is expected to have shipped 81.3 million units by 2013

According to new research from Google, tablet usage is growing and sometimes surpasses time spent on desktop and TV. Key findings include:

• 43% of respondents spend more time with their tablet than with their desktop/laptop
• 1 in 3 respondents spends more time with their tablet than they do watching TV
• Tablets are used widely for playing games, searching for information and emailing
• Most popular activities on tablets include gaming (84%), searching for info (78%) and emailing (74%)
• Least popular include shopping (42%), reading e-books (46%) and consuming entertainment (51%)
• People are spending at least an hour a day on their tablet and using it primarily at home
• 68% of respondents spend at least 1 hour a day on their tablet
• 82% of respondents primarily use their tablet at home
• 69% of respondents said they use their tablet more frequently on weekdays relative to weekends
• Tablets are used more during the night according to 62% of respondents
• 77% of respondents reported that their desktop/laptop usage decreased

You can download the full report here.

Digitimes reports that the iPad 2 will arrive in February 2011, based on Foxconn’s manufacturing volume.

Source: Component makers, compiled by Digitimes, December 2010

Apple will start selling the iPad in South Korea and Latin America in Q4, which will grow the international market for tablet PCs.

Back in October, Gartner estimated the tablet market at 154.2 Million units in 2013 and 19.5 million in 2010 (80% of which will be iPads = 15.6 million units). In November, Oppenheimer & Co. released a report that forecast shipments of tablet devices would be:

• 15.1 million units in 2010
• 115 million in 2014 (66.5%. CAGR)

Revenue is expected to reach:

• ~$55 billion in 2014 ($11.4 billion in profit)
• $9.5 billion in 2010 ($2.8 billion in profit)

According to a recent article in the Wall Street Journal, Gartner Inc. expects media tablet sales to reach:

• 19.5 million units in 2010 (80% of which will be iPads = 15.6 million units)
• 54.8 million units in 2011
• 103.4 million units in 2012
• 154.2 million units in 2013

The Florida House of Representatives voted unanimously to begin offering a 15% tax credit for “qualified productions” in the state.  The credit is on in-state spending for all games. An additional 5% credit is available for spending that occurs “off season” (June – November) and for “family-friendly” titles.

Cnet has a story quoting Needham & Company Analyst Charlie Wolf as saying the Apple iPad will sell:

• 2 Million iPads in 2010
• 6 Million iPads in 2011

IDC Analyst Richard Shim estimates:

• 4-5 Million iPads in 2010
• IDC also estimates just 1.3 million non-Apple Tablet PCs – 170,000 of which will be slates.
• IDC estimates that in 2009, 1 million tablets were sold, 125,000 of which were slates, as compared to 875,000 convertible PCs

I predict that without Flash support, it’ll be hard for the iPad to gain mainstream acceptance among gamers. Casual gamers playing FarmVille and other social networking games based on Flash won’t be able to play on the iPad. It seems like it might be a smart business move to consider adding Flash support outside of just the YouTube player if apple wants to capture this audience.