Bloomberg: Apple's iPad Loved by Seniors

Anecdotal evidence suggests that Apple is making inroads with a new group of consumers, the elderly, who love the ease of use of the iPad. Thanks in part to the intuitive design of the new tablets, seniors are finding the recently-released devices particularly easy for browsing the web and sending email. Since seniors generally have the financial resources for iPads, they represent a potentially lucrative market.

The iPad's intuitive interface makes it appealing to senior citizens around the world, says Takahiro Miura, a researcher at the University of Tokyo: "The iPad is a good tool for the elderly because it's very forgiving of mistakes." Miura's team uses computers to help train senior citizens to rejoin the workforce. "Unlike the PC, it doesn't require prior knowledge," he says.

James Cordwell, a technology analyst at Atlantic Equities in London, says the iPad's popularity with the elderly is helping Apple (APPL) reach beyond its traditional base of younger customers. "Demographically, the world, especially in developed markets, is getting older, and it's probably where Apple is least penetrated," Cordwell says. Elderly users are "a key source of growth for them in the future." These buyers could also give Apple an advantage over Research In Motion (RIMM). Hewlett-Packard (HPQ), LG Electronics, Google (GOOG), and other companies expected to roll out tablets.

In addition to email and web surfing, iPads run small dedicated programs (called "apps"), some of which are aimed specifically at the needs of the elderly.

Source: Bloomberg