A study of click patterns by link-shortening service Bit.ly illustrates a distinct difference in usage between iPads and other types of devices, including smartphones and traditional computers.
hilary hour
The general curve of most of the usage lines follows the general traffic flow of larger websites. Very little traffic at night, with a steep rise as the work day starts with a peak in the mid-afternoon, then a drop-off as people begin to leave work. Smartphone and desktop browser usage are fairly similar.

iPad use, on the other hand, is dramatically different. Usage dips slightly after breakfast and remains below the other devices throughout most of the day, until the evening. Then it spikes much later in the evening.

hilary ipad week
Bitly researcher Brian David Eoff:

During the weekends iPad usage between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. is higher than it is during the week at those same hours. No other device sees a heavy increase of use during the weekends, showing that the iPad is used as an entertainment device and differs from both smartphones and browsers.

Bitly also looked at the types of data consumed, but didn't see any drastic differences in behavior there. The most striking differences are in the times of use. Eoff believes it's because the iPad is "used as an entertainment device" more than both smartphones and browsers.

Related Roundup: iPad
Buyer's Guide: iPad (Buy Now)
Related Forum: iPad

Top Rated Comments

Rodimus Prime Avatar
183 months ago
Technology becoming more personal and intimate as the Post-PC era develops. Nice to see.
How is this more of the Post PC era BS. All it tells me is people are willing to use their iPad are more likely to be used in bed or when people are relaxing in bed.

Boy I bet if you look at lets say kindle usage pattern it would have a very similar spike in the evening as well.

To me I find it interesting and tells you that the iPad is replacing other devices for relaxing in the evening after work. It is not an items that sits at a desk where get more real work done.

Honestly I find the graph rather interesting to look at over all to see how different devices break down. Look at the blackberry earlier in the house and then come 5-6am you see all the smart phone OS jump above everything else. That tells you that first thing people do in the morning is grab their phone and check their email.
During the day seeing Android keep up with the desktop OS I find is intersting as well and kind of wondering why that is.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
deannnnn Avatar
183 months ago
Interesting. On lazy days for me I do tend to transition from my Mac to my iPad as it gets later so that I can use it from bed.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
nwcs Avatar
183 months ago
A key takeaway is that this is measuring web traffic. It cannot measure what people are doing with these devices when NOT surfing. Therefore any meaningful conclusions cannot be made. It's interesting in how it related to web traffic only. And I'd say a subset of traffic at that considering the source of the data.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
rdowns Avatar
183 months ago
Are you high?

You are clearly out of touch if you think post pc era is even remotely approaching.


Post PC doesn't mean no PCs. You're out of touch if you don't think it is.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
whooleytoo Avatar
183 months ago
Since the days of people relaxing in bed with their iMac were.... well, never, you seem to have answered your own question.

Wat? You don't have an iMac in your bed? What have you got against iMacs? ;)

Since the shift from desktops to laptops, I think a lot of people would use laptops in bed. It's not a huuuge shift to using an iPad.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
*LTD* Avatar
183 months ago

Because the Galaxy has a full fledged file system like a computer, I use mine to carry work and personal files.
We've been doing this with our iPhones for the last couple of years.

Because it handles .PDF files so well, and has a larger more easily used display, I can do things such as edit files, create & review files, and other tasks while away from my desk, or while waiting at the airport, etc.
As above.

Apps have their own file systems, or you can use a file manager of your choice (i.e. GoodReader or iFiles as a central location) from which you can migrate files from app to app and then save them within the particular app's own filesystem if you like. One can do any number of things with a single file this way.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iphone 16 pro ghost hand

5 Reasons to Skip This Year's iPhone 17 Pro

Thursday July 10, 2025 4:54 am PDT by
Apple will launch its new iPhone 17 series in two months, and the iPhone 17 Pro models are expected to get a new design for the rear casing and the camera area. But more significant changes to the lineup are not expected until next year, when the iPhone 18 models arrive. If you're thinking of trading in your iPhone for this year's latest, consider the following features rumored to be coming...
apple tv 4k new orange

New Apple TV Expected Later This Year With These New Features

Saturday July 12, 2025 3:09 pm PDT by
A new Apple TV is expected to be released later this year, and a handful of new features and changes have been rumored for the device. Below, we recap what to expect from the next Apple TV, according to rumors. Rumors Faster Wi-Fi Support The next Apple TV will be equipped with Apple's own combined Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. He said the chip supports ...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro Coming Soon With These 16 New Features

Friday July 11, 2025 12:40 pm PDT by
Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are only two months away, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models. Latest Rumors These rumors surfaced in June and July:A redesigned Dynamic Island: It has been rumored that all iPhone 17 models will have a redesigned Dynamic Island interface — it might ...
macbook pro blue green

M5 MacBook Pro No Longer Coming in 2025

Thursday July 10, 2025 12:38 pm PDT by
Apple does not plan to refresh any Macs with updated M5 chips in 2025, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Updated MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models are now planned for the first half of 2026. Gurman previously said that Apple would debut the M5 MacBook Pro models in late 2025, but his newest report suggests that Apple is "considering" pushing them back to 2026. Apple is now said to be...
iphone 16 pro pro max

iPhone 17 Pro Models With BOE Displays Will Be Sold in China Only

Thursday July 10, 2025 11:59 pm PDT by
iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max models with displays made by BOE will be sold exclusively in China, according to a new report. Last week, it emerged that Chinese display manufacturer BOE was aggressively ramping up its OLED production capacity for future iPhone models as part of a plan to recapture a major role in Apple's supply chain. Now, tech news aggregator Jukan Choi reports...
Apple Watch Ultra 2 Complications

Apple Watch Ultra 3: What to Expect

Sunday July 13, 2025 10:30 am PDT by
The long wait for an Apple Watch Ultra 3 is nearly over, and a handful of new features and changes have been rumored for the device. Below, we recap what to expect from the Apple Watch Ultra 3:Satellite connectivity for sending and receiving text messages when Wi-Fi and cellular coverage is unavailable 5G support, up from LTE on the Apple Watch Ultra 2 Likely a wide-angle OLED display that ...
apple wallet drivers license feature iPhone 15 pro

Apple Says iPhone Driver's Licenses Will Expand to These 8 U.S. States

Tuesday July 8, 2025 11:26 am PDT by
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, providing a convenient and contactless way to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps. Unfortunately, this feature continues to roll out very slowly since it was announced in 2021, with only nine U.S. states, Puerto Rico,...
iPhone 17 Air Colors Thumb 2

iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Air Rumored to Come in These 9 Colors

Friday July 11, 2025 12:30 am PDT by
The iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Air will be available in a total of nine color options, according to new information coming out of Asia. The iPhone 17 Air's expected color options. According to the leaker going by the account name "yeux1122" on the Korean blog Naver, accessory manufacturers are now producing camera protector rings for the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Air in colors to match their...