Cheaper and better devices have increased the popularity among consumers looking for networking capabilities and entertainment.
The research is from Gartner’s survey of more than 8,000 consumers in the US, UK, Canada and the BRIC countries, devices offering networking capabilities and entertainment had been gaining popularity, as prices continue to fall and technology performance increases.
Gartner research director Nick Ingelbrecht said early adopters are likely to leave the home laptop in the bag and are forsaking the home office in favour of the lounge room couch or bedroom to do online activities using a tablet or smartphone.
He said: "This early adopter trend is becoming mainstream consumer behavior. Consequently, technology and service providers are faced with no alternative but to innovate for mobility.
"If they do nothing, they face a potential train wreck as consumers abandon gadgets, services and applications that do not fully support changing mobile lifestyles."
In 2012, the average spending on a tablet was $503, a fall from $624 in 2010, but household penetration rose to 17% from 3%.
