Data Shows Kids Want iPhones, iPads & iPods for the Holidays

A new Nielsen study shows that kids in the U.S. are most interested in buying iOS devices in the next six months than almost anything else.

According to the study kids in the U.S. really want the 9.7-inch iPad, with 48 percent of kids aged 6-12 and 21 percent of kids age 13 or older have an interest in buying the tablet. For younger kids Apple’s other iOS device dominated the top five devices they want to buy. Older kids wanted a wider range of devices, but the iPhone still ranked in the top five devices.

Read: Holiday Gift Guide 2012: Best Tablets for Kids

For younger kids the top five breaks down as: iPad with 48 percent of children interested, Nintendo Wii U with 39 percent, iPod touch and iPad mini both with 36 percent, and finally the iPhone with 33 percent. Unsurprisingly, the top five devices children want are all relatively hard to find. The iPad fourth generation and the iPod touch are easier to find than the others, but the iPad mini and iPhone 5 are both back-ordered for quite some time on Apple’s website.

The Wii U is also hard to find as it just released this past Sunday.

For older kids the breakdown of interest in buying is: iPad with 21 percent, computer (PC or Mac not specified) with 19 percent, other tablet with 18 percent, Nintendo Wii U with 17 percent, and iPhone with 14 percent. Of the tablets other than the iPad the Amazon Kindle Fire and Samsung Galaxy devices led the pack. Nielsen doesn’t give a full breakdown by specific device.

So even though the two age group clearly had different priorities, the full-size iPad is still the clear winner among both. The tablet can serve both groups equally through its offering of games, social apps, and productivity for children who want to use it for school work. With the iPad fourth generation starting at $499 the tablet is relatively expensive, but more frugal parents can opt for the $399 iPad 2 or a refurbished iPad third generation if they wish to save money.