AUSTIN, TX--(Marketwired - May 12, 2015) - Mobile wearable devices are a growing segment of mobile devices that complement the more popular smartphones and tablets. Over the last 12 to 18 months, the industry has seen many new products launched, and it is becoming apparent that although wearable devices can still be broadly categorized into fitness-tracking wearables and smart watches, the functionality of the two are starting to converge.
Although smartphones' convenient display of time has made standard watches obsolete for many young consumers, the instantaneous information provided by smart watches and fitness wearable devices may once again make wearing a device on the wrist a commonplace occurrence.
In its most recent market study, iGR, a market research consultancy focused on the wireless and mobile industry, asked U.S. consumers about their familiarity with and interest in purchasing both smart watches and fitness-tracking wearable devices. Survey respondents also detailed the types of wearable devices that they currently use.
In addition to a five-year forecast of the sales of both smart watches and fitness tracking devices, iGR's new market study discusses and forecasts how both types of wearable devices will impact the mobile data network over the next five years.
"Sales of smart watches are expected to grow significantly this year, due to the many new product launches," said Iain Gillott, president and founder of iGR. "And one of the goals of this study was to determine how the growing number of devices would impact the bandwidth demands on the mobile data networks over the next five years."
iGR's new market study, U.S. Mobile Wearable Devices Forecast, 2014-2019: Bandwidth Impact on Mobile Networks, discusses two groups of wearable devices -- fitness tracking devices and smart watches -- and provides updates on the products that are available in the market. The study also provides results from iGR's latest survey of U.S. consumers, which quantified consumers' familiarity with, interest in, and current use of these devices. All results are analyzed according to consumer demographic variables. The consumer data in this study is based on a Web-based survey of over 1,100 U.S. consumers that iGR fielded during January 2015.
The market study also includes a five-year global forecast for the sales of both smart watches and fitness tracking devices at the global level and for the five regions of North America, Latin America, Europe, Middle East & Africa and Asia Pacific. The sales of smart watches are further defined according to the platform of the device -- Android, iOS or other. Finally, the study forecasts the mobile data usage impact of both types of wearable devices
The following key questions are addressed in the new research study:
- What percentage of U.S. consumers currently uses fitness wearable devices and smart watches?
- What types and brands of wearable devices do U.S. consumers currently use?
- What percentage of U.S. consumers are familiar with fitness tracking devices and smart watches? How has their familiarity changed in the last 12 months?
- What percentage of U.S. consumers are interested in purchasing a fitness tracking device or a smart watch? How has this interest changed in the last 12 months?
- How much are consumers willing to spend on smart watches and how does that price compare to the current average sales price?
- What demographic trends are apparent in U.S. consumers' use of and interest in wearable devices?
- What is the five-year sales forecast for fitness tracking wearable devices and smart watches at the global level and the regional level?
- What is the five-year sales forecast for smart watches according to the type of smart watch -- iOS, Android or Other?
- What is the five-year data usage forecast for fitness tracking wearable devices and smart watches at the global level and the regional level?
- How does the amount of data usage influenced by wearable devices compare to the overall amount of mobile data usage?
- Which companies currently provide fitness tracking devices and smart watches?
The information in this market study will be valuable for:
- Developers of wearable mobile apps
- Mobile device OEMs
- Wearable device OEMs
- Mobile service providers
- Financial analysts and investors.
The new report can be purchased and downloaded directly from iGR's website at www.iGR-inc.com. Alternatively, contact Iain Gillott at (512) 263-5682 or at Iain@iGR-inc.com for additional details.
About iGR
iGR is a market strategy consultancy focused on the wireless and mobile communications industry. Founded by Iain Gillott, one of the wireless industry's leading analysts, in late 2000 as iGillottResearch, iGR is now in its fifteenth year of operation. iGR continuously researches emerging and existent technologies, technology industries, and consumer markets. We use our detailed research to offer a range of services to help companies improve their position in the marketplace, clearly define their future direction, and ultimately improve their bottom line.
iGR researches a range of wireless and mobile products and technologies, including: smartphones; tablets; mobile wearable devices; connected cars; mobile applications; bandwidth demand and use; small cell and het-net architectures; mobile EPC and RAN virtualization; DAS; LTE; VoLTE; IMS; NFC; GSM/GPRS/UMTS/HSPA; CDMA 1x/EV-DO; iDEN; SIP; macro-, pico- and femtocells; mobile backhaul; WiFi and WiFi offload; and SIM and UICC.
A more complete profile of the company can be found at www.igr-inc.com.
Contact Information:
Contact iGR
Iain Gillott
(512) 263-5682