Good news forand wearable tech advocates alike:
UK consumers are slowly but surely warming up to wearable technology, as
research reveals to be 2015 a pivotal point in the sale of wearable devices
such as smartwatches and fitness bands.
Over 3 million wrist-worn smart devices are estimated to have been sold in
the country in 2015, which is a 118 percent increase from unit sales in
2014 which just hit 1.4 million. Data from market intelligence agency
Mintel has found that although interest in smartwatches is increasing and
set to boom this year, fitness bands were the most purchased wearable
device of 2015 – surpassing smartwatch sales by nearly two to one.
63 percent of wrist-worn wearable tech sold in 2015 were fitness bands,
compared to 37 percent of smartwatches. However, this percentage is still
an substantial increase in smartwatch sales, which accounted for a mere 9
percent of wearable tech sales in 2014. In addition, the number of
consumers set to buy a smartwatch is close to the same level as that of
those intending to buy a fitness band.
Nearly one in ten (9 percent) of Brits from a survey of 2,000 UK internet
users revealed that they aim to purchase a new fitness band within the next
12 months, compared to 8 percent who intend to buy a smartwatch. However,
research also indicates that 40 percent of UK consumers interested in
buying a wearable device this year already own one.
“While fitness bands are, on average, less expensive than other wearables
and have been on the market for relatively longer, higher adoption rates
are also a reflection of the fact that wrist-worn devices offer a
compelling practical benefit to active users,” commented Sara Ballaben,
Technology Analyst at Mintel. ”
While important product launches have and will certainly continue to
accelerate consumer demand for smartwatches, the expected popularity of
smartwatches in the short term is also the result of continued growth of
the phablet market, which creates more compelling use cases for wrist-worn
watches.”
Unsurprisingly, the younger generation (consumers aged between 16-34) show
the strongest interest in wearables and are three times more likely than
those over the age of 35 to own a fitness band. However, one of the
strongest reasons for spurring the increased interest in wearable devices
was the fashion over function appeal. Appearance and design where listed as
the third most important feature (21 percent) after battery life (39
percent) and waterproof protection (22 percent).
“As consumers value ‘wearability’ and prioritise personal style over more
technological features, strengthening consumers’ perception of wearable
technology as customisable personal accessories rather than ‘techy’ gadgets
will be key to boosting adoption,” added Ballaben. “Moreover, everyday
experiences, from in-store try-outs and demonstrations to real-world
applications at different locations can help familiarise consumers with the
benefits of wearables.”
However in spite of the growing popularity of wearables, Brits still have
concerns in regards to the technology shared by many consumers, with three
in five consumers revealing they would worry about the security of their
personal data if it was stored on a wearable device. In addition 51 percent
of Brits questioned say they do not see how wearable devices would add
value to their daily routine and 39 percent adding that the technology
could pose an invasion to one’s privacy.
Nevertheless, Mintel research shows that 60 percent of consumers would be
interested in receiving at least one type of information alerts through a
wearable device – along preference in the type of alerts remains varied
amongst Brits. “The gap between overall interest in receiving alerts
through wearables and specific interest in each type of information alert
suggests that there is significant variability among consumer preferences
and no one-size-fits-all solution can be successful,” concluded Ballaben.
“As a result, it is fundamental that wearables do not overload users with
information and, instead, filter selectively what information is
disseminated. This suggests that customisation should go beyond a device’s
design to allow users to personalise the use they make of their wearable,
as well as the range and number of alerts they receive.”
Photo 1: Misfit Ray
Photo 2: Apple Watch
Photo 3: Fossil Smartwatches and Fitness bands
Photo 4: Misfit Fitness tracker
Photo 5: Fossil Fitness band