Tablets are set to be the most popular tech purchase this Christmas, with around one in six Brits planning on buying one for themselves or as a gift during the festive season.

According to research carried out by OnePoll on behalf of Conjure, 15.7 per cent of British shoppers plan on buying a tablet this Christmas, with 13.4 per cent expecting to pick up a smartphone, and desktop PCs and Macs at only 8.2 per cent.

More than half of Brits surveyed were expecting to buy tech-based Christmas presents, with smartwatches and fitness trackers coming in at fourth and fifth place, with 7.4 per cent and 5.3 per cent respectively.

“Weve recently seen that the growing popularity of phablets – smartphones with big screens – is eating into the time we spend using our tablets,” said Sam Clark, CEO of Conjure. “If that trend continues a lot of tablets purchased and given as gifts this Christmas are destined to sit gathering dust in the New Year.

“Overall, though, our research shows that returns from tech sales are going to make this a bumper Christmas for tech manufacturers, retailers and maybe even George Osbourne. Brands also have the potential to do well out of this flood of connected devices in homes – but theyll need to be at the top of their respective games if theyre going to make the most of the few minutes consumers will dedicate to browsing apps in front of the fire this Christmas.”