Over the years, the want lists of children have gotten more and more gadgetry, and according to a recent study by Nielsen, it’s those of the Apple variety kids looking to receive this year. It’s not a new trend, either. Over the past few years, it’s become increasingly clear the devices most sought by American youngsters between the ages of six and twelve are those Designed by Apple in California, with half of those studied pining for the larger Apple iPad.
It would seem, even at a young age, these kids are as into their product specifications as the rest of us, because while fifty percent had eyes for the full-size Apple slate, only 36 percent – or just over a third, wanted the iPad mini. If anything, their little hands would probably be better suited to the iPad mini, but it seems even the younger among us are suckers for the high-end features like the Retina display and A6X processor. That, or they prefer the main model because it’s bigger and shiner, therefore more awesome!
The fifty percent interest is a rise from 44% last year, and the market for the iPod touch really shows up in this particular age bracket. While many of us have called the necessity of the iPod touch into question recently, the device deemed an ‘iPhone without the part’ is actually more popular among preteens than the iPhone. This is of course, due to the pricing and the subsidized nature of the smartphone – parent’s aren’t going to pay 60+ bucks a month for a their kid to play Bloons TD 5, nor are they going to stump up over a thousand dollars for the SIM-free version. An iPod touch is a great way for those without the funds for iOS to enjoy iOS, and with so many kids becoming acquainted with digital interfaces using an iPod touch, it’s like a gateway drug for Apple to eventually sell them an iPad, iPhone, or even a Mac once they’ve grown up and can buy their own stuff.
While Apple dominated the mobile devices, plenty of kids are keeping an eye out for the consoles, and 39 percent are looking forward to receiving a Nintendo Wii U – the recently-released successor to the Wii. 29 percent are looking for one of the DS variants, while a quarter want an Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3.
(source: Nielsen Wire)
You can follow us on Twitter, add us to your circle on Google+ or like our Facebook page to keep yourself updated on all the latest from Microsoft, Google, Apple and the web.
