Survey: Tablets on Over Half of US Consumers' Holiday Shopping Lists

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This holiday season, consumers be will be snapping up a lot of tablets, according to a new survey from Vuclip.

The mobile video specialist recently surveyed 20,435 consumers in the U.S. about their tablet buying plans during the holidays. The results spell good news for tablet makers — Apple and Samsung in particular.

Fifty seven percent of those polled said that they expect to purchase a tablet by December 25th. But before ringing up those sleek slates, consumers will face a vastly bigger selection than in the past.

Tablet options abound this year, says Judith Coley, vice president of Marketing for Vuclip. “Americans have a passion for new technology, but as of late the tablet market is often described as ‘cluttered’. With an incredible array of choices — various screen sizes, prices, applications available and so on — the choice can be daunting for consumers,” she states in press remarks.

Apple is far and away the most popular brand of tablet, with 30 percent indicating that they plan to take home an iPad. Samsung’s Galaxy Tab line of Android-powered tablets puts in a strong showing with 22 percent while just 3 percent plan to purchase a Kindle.

Branding matters most to consumers. Twenty-six percent of respondents indicated that a tablet’s brand is the top factor in a purchasing decision. Connectivity options also ranked high, with 19 percent seeking 3G, 4G and/or WiMax compatibility.

Vuclip’s results hint that the mobile OS wars may be overhyped, at least in the consumer segment of the market. Just 12 percent of respondents considered a tablet’s operating system as an important feature. Price also sits low on the list of priorities at ten percent.

Interestingly, many tablet buyers — men especially — are planning to self-gift. Sixty-six percent of male survey takers said that they are buying themselves tablets during the holidays. Meanwhile, 45 percent of women expect to keep the tablets that they purchase.

Pedro Hernandez is a contributing editor at InternetNews.com, the news service of the IT Business Edge Network, the network for technology professionals. Follow him on Twitter @ecoINSITE.