Fitness tracker and smartwatch users ‘fundamentally different’
Fitness tracker and smartwatch owners vary greatly in age, gender and income, according to new research released by NPD Connected Intelligence. The ‘Consumers and Wearables Report’ found that while fitness trackers have quickly gained a mainstream following, smartwatches have not caught on as quickly.
Smartwatches appeal more to men (71%) and younger consumers aged 18-34 (69%) with incomes below $45,000 (48%).
However fitness trackers, now owned by one-in-ten U.S. adults, appeal more to women (54%), those age between 35-54 (36%) and people with an average income of more than $100,000 (41%).
“While we expect smartwatch ownership to grow more rapidly over the next year, there will remain a clear place for the fitness tracker due to its size, battery life, and focus on one specific use case – as opposed to the smartwatch which is trying to be a little bit of everything for everyone,” says Wes Henderek, director NPD Connected Intelligence.
A study from BabyCenter in October last year found that moms, in particular, are interested in fitness trackers not only for themselves but for their children.
While 80% of moms said they were interested in fitness trackers for themselves, 67% are interested in trackers for their children.
“There is more pressure on moms than ever before to make the right choices for their health and that of their children, so their interest and use of their smartphones for this purpose is not surprising,” said Julie Michaelson, Vice President of Sales, BabyCenter.
