Survey FAIL: 91% - Not 68% - of iPad Users Download Apps

**Paul Daniel Ash** · 10-26-2010, 02:26 PM

The results of a survey claiming that 32% of iPad owners had never downloaded an app caused a bit of controversy over the last week, with the usual suspects claiming that nobody uses iPads anyway. Today, the research firm Nielsen quietly updated its report with a new chart, which shows fewer than 9% still have only the preloaded apps. Oops.

The Nielsen Company, which is a global marketing and advertising research firm best known in the US for doing TV ratings, released its Connected Devices survey [PDF] last week with the first detailed information about iPad usage. While apps were more popular on the iPad than the iPhone in every category but News and Music, confusingly only 63% of users were said to have ever purchased an app, with another 5% getting only free apps. The mixup was fixed today with a brief statement indicating that "this article and the related download have been amended to reflect updates to the percentage of iPad users in the survey downloading apps."

The strange numbers had been seized upon by people who have been insisting for months that this iPad thing was never going to catch on. Paul Thurrott at Windows IT Pro compared the iPad to the Nintendo Wii and called it "nothing more than a gotta-have-it, trendy, techno-fashion statement, one that people bought to look like they were hip and savvy." Furthermore, Thurrott hilariously suggested that "there could literally be millions of first-generation iPads gathering dust in people's home offices already." However, back in the real world where the rest of us live, 91% of iPad users have downloaded apps, with 62% them being games, followed by books (54%) and music apps (50%).

There was no explanation of why the totals were so wrong in the original report.

Source: 9to5Mac

**Micara57** · 10-26-2010, 02:28 PM

Maybe they were trying to show that 32% never bought an app? Like a paid app.

[EDIT]
Oh wait, that'd be the 5% that was only downloaded free apps.

Then maybe it was meant to show that 32% BOUGHT an app? Idk...

**madczech** · 10-26-2010, 02:47 PM

hardly believe that it's 91%....
I know so so many elderly people who own a iDevice and seriously don't know how to use it... not metioning downloading apps...

**greek.guy** · 10-26-2010, 02:59 PM

Originally Posted by madczech

hardly believe that it's 91%....
I know so so many elderly people who own a iDevice and seriously don't know how to use it... not metioning downloading apps...

maybe they fall into that 9%

**madczech** · 10-26-2010, 03:03 PM

yeah true... always depends who is asked in the survey though...

**Armored** · 10-26-2010, 03:06 PM

crazy. wow, it's so limited without non-default apps.

**Aliquippakid** · 10-26-2010, 03:14 PM

Ya the ipad thing has caught on. I see about ten people a day using them in the airport. And my airport isn't busy. That's a good bit

**xerray** · 10-26-2010, 03:16 PM

Remember, this is out of millions of people who bought the iPad.

**TheDirtyDiddler** · 10-26-2010, 03:52 PM

I used to work for Nielsen. The outsourced my whole department and many other people's departments to India. My friend who is still there tells me they're ******* everything up.

**CynicalDriver** · 10-26-2010, 04:09 PM

Ok, I know this is not going to go over well, BUT, whether someone got an app is no real indicator of how often or if they still use the iPad.

So, the 9% who didn't download any apps probably never use it... Unless they only buy iBooks via iTunes. Because there is a difference between a "Book App" and an iBook.

Who's to say that a bunch of people didn't buy a bunch of apps when it first came out (like I did) and then never used it again after a few months?

I do still doubt that they are collecting dust tho, because, as with any Apple product, you can sell one on craigslist or e-bay for less than a 20% loss!! If they're not getting used, they're getting sold (like the one I had.) Paid $529 for my iPad and the fancy Apple "book-style" case, and sold them for $425 six months later. That's only a 19.65% loss of value... And I could have gotten more on e-bay from someone in a country that doesn't have the iPads yet!

No, they're not collecting dust, they're surviving in a VERY robust used market.

**osito1987** · 10-26-2010, 04:34 PM

Guys it has nothing to do with App Store now we all download apps from AppTrackr. most off all the user that download apps from App Store might not know about apptrackr.

**mr117** · 10-26-2010, 05:29 PM

I'm an elderly person (in my 60's) and my jailbroken iPad has two pages of apps. My older son (30's) has lots of apps that didn't come with the Pad. I read books, play games, use email and Safari almost daily. I use my iPhone 4 when I'm out (jailbroken, themed, custom tones, all kinds of apps and utilities), and my iMac 24" when I'm working at home. The Pad is couch time, backyard time, casual use. Great toy.

**AnthonyGiola** · 10-26-2010, 05:44 PM

Originally Posted by mr117

I'm an elderly person (in my 60's) and my jailbroken iPad has two pages of apps. My older son (30's) has lots of apps that didn't come with the Pad. I read books, play games, use email and Safari almost daily. I use my iPhone 4 when I'm out (jailbroken, themed, custom tones, all kinds of apps and utilities), and my iMac 24" when I'm working at home. The Pad is couch time, backyard time, casual use. Great toy.

**evileclipse** · 10-26-2010, 06:28 PM

Well, it would serve you right to help those elderly people. I'm 27, but if I ever meet anyone with any device, having problems, I would give anyone of them my time to make sure they knew how.

**mr117** · 10-26-2010, 06:48 PM

Why, thank you, youngster. My doddering old self appreciates the offer. If I ever find myself in such a predicament, I'll look forward to your help.

After all, we oldsters have no computer skills, we get rattled easily, tech makes us nervous, oh, my, what is this button over here?

**romeo_herman** · 10-26-2010, 07:25 PM

The 9% , they bought an iPad but don't know how to use it....

**mr117** · 10-26-2010, 07:27 PM

Yeah- I couldn't find the darn "on" switch! I had to ask a boy scout to walk me across the street to the Apple Store and have a "genius" show me where it is.

**andyharp** · 10-26-2010, 07:48 PM

There is 100% chance that their stats are for sale.
Throw out some numbers....stir up some stink......for the right price we can put what ever stats you can afford...

**AUZambo** · 10-26-2010, 07:58 PM

Can someone explain how you can have 62% of purchased apps being games, 54% being books, and 50% being music apps? Correct me if I'm wrong...but isn't 62+54+50>100%

**Carter454** · 10-26-2010, 08:17 PM

Im no math teacher but I think you're right.

Originally Posted by AUZambo

Can someone explain how you can have 62% of purchased apps being games, 54% being books, and 50% being music apps? Correct me if I'm wrong...but isn't 62+54+50>100%

Im no math teacher but I think you're right

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