iPod use sees increase with under 10-year-olds

Makes them feel "cool and grown up"

23 January 2008 9:25 GMT / By Amy-Mae Elliott

A new report in the States reveals some interesting facts about the proliferation of portable tech in the under ten age group.

Apparently 31% of children aged between 6 and 10 in the States own MP3 players, with over half that figure, 54%, owning an iPod, with the nano topping the popularity chart.

"The average age of first use of portable digital-music players has declined over the last three years", said NPD analyst Anita Frazier, author of a study called "Kids and Digital Content".

Frazier's study also looked at kiddie content with 125 songs, 10 TV shows and 15 movies the average amount of media loaded onto each device.

Hand-me-downs from older siblings and parents, the lowering cost of MP3 players as well as kid-friendly consumer electronics aimed specifically at the pre-teen market have all contributed to the rise.

And while Disney-themed models may be popular, the large number of iPods reported is said to be because the product range is not aimed at children.

"iPod has done a good job of not kid-ifying the market", Paul Metz, senior VP at C&R Research said. "Kids clamor for them because they make them feel cool and grown-up."