A survey by CCS Insight has found that just 7 per cent of tablet users use their device mainly for work, with 60 per cent saying their tablet is used mainly for leisure. 

The findings represent a worry for tablet manufacturers pitching their devices to enterprise, says CCS Insights senior vice president, internet, Martin Garner. “This statistic will alarm tablet-makers that are trying to sell devices to the enterprise market,” he says. “Business customers will not engage with tablets until they see a vast improvement in enterprise software on tablets.”

The survey also found that the vast majority of tablet use goes on in the home, with 80 per cent saying they use their tablet most in the living room, and 70 per cent saying they use their tablet most in the bedroom. In Europe, 40 per cent say they use their tablet most in the kitchen. 

“Previously, people had to leave the room and sit down at a computer to use the internet. A tablet offers a more convenient and social means of access, allowing users to join in with family activities while remaining on-line,” says Garner. 

Tablet use on holiday is also popular, with 58 per cent of respondents saying they take their device with them. “The Internet is now so tightly built into many peoples daily lives that they want to continue the connected lifestyle when they take a break from work,” says Garner.

However, just 15 per cent use their tablet when travelling to and from work, with the suggestion that people are instead opting for Amazons Kindle for reading on the commute. 

The UK was found to lead Europe in terms of tablet use, with an average of 2.8 hours per day. 95 per cent of tablet-owning Brits used their device for at least an hour per day and 11 per cent are online for more than five hours each day, according to the survey. 

iPad users actually reported less time with the device than non-iPad tablet users, by an average of 30 minutes per day. “We found that younger people are more likely to own cheaper non-Apple devices, and that these users tend to be most engaged with social networks,” says Garner.