NPD finds changes in kids use of electronics

PORT WASHINGTON According to a new report from The NPD Group, girls are now more likely than boys to use cellphones and laptops, while kids of all ages and genders are migrating away from using cell phones as a verbal communication device, opting to switch over to “talking” via text messaging and sending photos.

In the past five years, text messaging has skyrocketed among kids, and in 2009, almost half (46%) of kids using cells phones are text messaging.

Kids’ usage of devices, such as personal digital music players (PDMP), laptops, digital cameras and cell phones is growing at impressive rates, changing the entire landscape of CE devices in the five years that NPD has been publishing reports on kids’ usage of consumer electronics products.  For example, 37% of kids use a PDMP this year, while only 6% used a PDMP in 2005. 

"CE devices are great, but content is the key driver that will help continue the growth of the kids CE market, particularly digital content, which goes hand-in-hand with portable devices,” said Anita Frazier, industry analyst, The NPD Group.  "The increase in usage of portable devices opens up more opportunity to distribute digital content. We know from our 2008 Kids & Digital Content Report that kids’ acquisition of digital content has increased across the board in the past year, particularly for digital music, TV shows, music videos and online video clips. The marketplace has room to grow high-definition TV content for kids and digital music offerings for preschool age kids."