“At least 27 percent of buyers, and as many as 40 percent, use the iPad in these ways. Entertainment includes watching video, looking at photos and listening to music.”

Ranked fourth for the device was business uses which accounted for only 13 percent of all iPad owners surveyed. The study also found that iPad 3 users were more likely to use their tablet for business based purposes with 16 percent placing business uses at the top of their iPad using list. Business users were also found to purchase higher end iPad 3 models with more memory. According to CIRP:

“Buyers that have iPads with more storage use the iPad for more serious purposes, such as business. Yet, buyers that have iPads with 3G/4G connections use them similarly as buyers with WiFi-only iPads.”

In examining “devoted” users who also own other Apple devices including AppleTV, Time Capsule, etc., the company noted:

“These devoted Apple customers vary somewhat from the average user, especially in their business use of their iPad. Twenty-three percent of these owners report using their iPad for business, compared to 13 percent of all users.”

The move towards higher tablet use on the internet explains why cellular carriers are attempting to push mobile data onto their users at a faster rate. Verizon Wireless recently announced its “Share Everything” plans which allow users to share data among various mobile devices.

The Consumer Intelligence Research Partners report also notes that while Apple has more apps than Android, Windows Phone and BlackBerry devices iPad users rank using apps behind various other tasks including Internet, entertainment, games, business, social networking, email, education and reading.