Smartphones and tablets are very similar in terms of their user interfaces, and it would be an easy assumption to make that a tablet is just a larger version of a smartphone, however, they still vary massively in terms of their functionality. Tablets have emerged as the device to bridge the gap between smartphones and laptops and can be defined as a portable notebook which is built on a mobile operating system. Some smartphones now have 5-inch screen to rival the 7-inch smartphones, so what are actually the differences between the two?
Even though the majority of tablets are now wi-fi enabled and some even now have their own data card they are still not viewed as been as flexible as a mobile device. A Salesforce study conducted showed that only 14% of users saw their tablets as mobile friendly. In general most people use tablets more at home for things like playing games, reading e-books and watching movies. Users also tend to prefer a tablet to do work related activities on rather than a smartphone. Hence the reason why many businesses in the entertainment sector are improving their mobile services.
Both tablets and smartphones are modern high-tech devices, however, there is a tendency towards the millennials using smartphones more, with the older generation preferring to use tablets. This could be down to tablets being perceived as more user-friendly, due to having a bigger screen and therefore larger buttons. If you are buying a device for a small child too it is likely that a tablet will be a better choice, they can watch cartoons or play video games without having the worry that they will call someone by accident, as could easily happen with a smartphone.
There is also a timing consideration that comes into play with the use of tablets v smartphones. Tablets are more commonly used on evenings and weekends, and this is the time in which marketing companies will generally target their promotions with regards to tablets and related products. However, those targeting smartphones customers don’t need to do so at a specific time.
One major advantage that tablets do have over smartphones is in regard to battery life. It is widely viewed that battery life on the majority of smartphones is an annoyance, this is rarely the case though with tablets as they can actually last for several weeks on the back of one charge. In fact, this is one area that smartphone developers are looking to improve on in the very near future.
Both smartphones and tablets have their uses and it really depends on what the individual needs are of the user as to what is the best device. So many different options are available in both the smartphone and tablet market, so there will be something for everyone. Many people make the decision to have both a smartphone and a tablet and will often connect both devices meaning they can easily switch from one to the other, depending on their requirements at the time.
