SURVEY C Kindle Nation Households Boast Multiple Kindles And Multiple Devices, With Smartphones In the Majority of Homes And iPads In 30%

SURVEY C Kindle Nation Households Boast Multiple Kindles And Multiple Devices, With Smartphones In the Majority of Homes And iPads In 30%

By Tom Dulaney, Contributing Reporter

The wisdom of Amazon's vigorous program to open the Kindle Store to people who do not own a Kindle device is apparent in results of the Winter 2011 Kindle Nation Citizen Survey.

But one characteristic of the survey that becomes apparent is that it is almost exclusively Kindle device owners who took part and answered questions.

What are the reading habits of people who shop in the Kindle Store, but do not own a Kindle device? Only Amazon.com has that data—and you can be sure they do have it—but they aren't saying. The only hint we have was an Amazon announcement late last year that the Kindle for Android app was their best selling app of all.


Other hints that people who don't own Kindle devices are a significant and important market for Amazon come from the rigorous release of apps for iPhones, iPads, Android phones and tablets and BlackBerrys.  Indeed, once a new device that seems popular shows up in the marketplace, Amazon is right on its heels with an app.

The majority of people with Kindles also own a smartphone—whether it's an iPhone or Android--on which they can read ebooks if they choose to do so. Nearly everyone has at least one computer, where Kindle for PC can be used. It's rare that a Kindle home includes a Nook.

The 2,275 people who responded to the survey are laden with Kindles of all models. About 77% have one or more Kindle 1 or Kindle 2 devices. And 53% have Kindle 3s with Wi-Fi, either with or without 3G.

The majority have only 1 of each Kindle model, though they may have other models in the household.  In "single-Kindle-model" homes, Kindle 1s and 2s are found in 55% of respondent's households. Kindle 3s with 3G and Wi-Fi are the most prevalent of that generation, with 47% of respondents having one in the home and another 6% with more than one.

The large-size Kindle DX is much less prevalent, with just under 15% of respondents owning the device. Some 14% have just one, and 1% have two.

And even though Amazon and Apple are fighting for exclusivity in Kindle homes, about 30% of those answering the Kindle Nation 2010 Winter survey say their households include at least one iPad. That opens the door for them to read ebooks with the Kindle for iPad app if they choose, or to share devices with family members. Of the 30%, with 26% own 1 iPad and 4% have two on hand.

While nearly all of the survey respondents have at least one Kindle, just over 60% of them also have an iPhone or iPod Touch to give them a second option to “Buy Once, Read Everywhere” from the Kindle Store. Close in popularity are Android, BlackBerry or other smartphones, showing up in 56% of respondents' households.

Tablet computers, including Samsung's Galaxy, have not made significant inroads with survey respondents. About 97% don't have one; 3% own just one, and 1% have 2.

Demonstrating a clear separation of Amazon and Barnes & Noble, only 5% of survey respondents have a Nook in the house.

And completely unsurprising to anyone, 99% of respondents have a desktop, laptop, PC or Mac computer. Most homes contain multiple computers: Only 17% have one, 29% have two, 23% have three and 29% have four or more.