£1.4 billion to be spent on tablet computers this Christmas

New research from independent price comparison and switching service, uSwitch.com, reveals that 8% of consumers - potentially four million - are planning to buy a tablet computer over the Christmas period, at an estimated total cost of £1.4 billion or £353 per device. Unswayed by the VAT increase, a further 21% of consumers intend to buy a tablet within the next year.

Despite prices still being at a premium, tablet computers have taken the gadget world by storm, spurred on by the release of Apple's iPad eight months ago. But the uSwitch.com research proves that tablets are no longer just a toy for the techies. Two million Brits (4%) already own one and the new figures show that tablet-hungry consumers can't wait much longer for their fix. While 4% are willing to hold off their purchase until the New Year's sales, 4% plan to have a tablet in their hands by Christmas.

It appears that the tablet is considered a treat rather than an essential item for most consumers. 57% intend to use the device to surf the internet - despite 94% already owning a laptop or computer. 15% of consumers plan to use it to read books or newspapers electronically and 12% simply feel that it will help break up long journeys. However, an astute 13% say that the tablet will be useful for work.

And it's clear that consumers see the tablet as very much a ‘grown up' toy right now. 1 in 5 parents (21%) say that their child has asked for one, but just 3% are going to give in to their demands.

Ernest Doku, mobiles expert at uSwitch.com, says: "The ‘iPad effect' has propelled the tablet PC into the mainstream and unsurprisingly it has become the must-have gadget for consumers this Christmas. However, battery life and cost are more important to consumers than the actual brand for shoppers looking to invest in these ultra-portable devices. While over three quarters (75%) say the most important factor is battery life, less than a third (32%) place the same importance on brand, suggesting there is plenty of scope for rivals to shake up the market.

"This huge interest is definitely set to continue into the New Year, so expect to see a plethora of touchscreen tablets land from major manufacturers in 2011. With the tablet market already predicted to eat into sales of traditional PCs and laptops, big names like BlackBerry, Dell and HP are already looking for a piece of the action."