Nielsen outlines demographic changes for tablet and e-reader users

Used to be mainly male and young, but not any more.

Market research firm Nielsen has published its latest data on the age and gender distribution for smartphone, tablet and e-reader ownership in the US.

The research reveals some important changes, including a shift towards older users in the tablet market. "Back in Q3 2010, for example, 62 percent of tablet owners were under the age of 34 and only 10 percent were over the age of 55. By Q2 2011, only 46 percent of tablet owners were under the age of 34 and the percentage of those over 55 had increased to 19 percent," explains the company's blog.

Meanwhile, 61% of e-reader owners in the US are now female, up from 47% in Q3 2010. 50% of smartphone owners are female now, and 43% of tablet owners, compared to 47% and 39% respectively in Q3 2010.

The tablet figures are particularly interesting. It was no surprise that Apple's iPad initially appealed to younger early adopters, but Nielsen's stats hint at it finding a wider market, along with the first generation of rival products. That in turn has implications for app developers and publishers considering targeting older users.