Parks Associates: Fitbit Leads Fitness Tracker Brand Adoption

DALLAS, TX--(Marketwired - Aug 29, 2014) - Fitbit is the early leader in the market for digital fitness trackers with nearly 40% of the market, according to new research Parks Associates announced today in advance of the firm's Connected Health Summit: Engaging Consumers, September 4-5 in San Diego, California. The 2Q 2014 survey of more than 5,000 U.S. broadband households found that Fitbit is far ahead of its closest competitors Samsung (14%), Nike+ Sensor (14%), and Nike Fuelband (8%).

"Slightly more than 6% of U.S. broadband households have a digital pedometer or fitness tracker, so this market is still in the early stages of adoption," said Harry Wang, Director, Health & Mobile Product Research, Parks Associates. "Fitbit's early success highlights several key factors for success in this market, including fashionable design, integration with mobile devices, and a variety of model options. At Connected Health Summit, executives from top companies in the wearables space will discuss leading techniques both to drive adoption and keep consumers engaged."

Parks Associates analysts recommend companies can achieve long-term success in the digital fitness tracker industry with the following strategies:

• Standardize measurements of fitness progress and simplify the fitness management process
• Enrich the user experience by tracking other elements of healthy living
• Introduce fitness management and coaching services to deepen user engagement and demonstrate value

Parks Associates digital health research shows:

• 2% of U.S. broadband households purchased a smart watch in 2013, with another 4% very likely to purchase a smart watch in the next 12 months.
• Connected trackers will account for 52% of all digital fitness tracker unit sales in 2014 and reach 81% by 2018 (66 million units).

Connected Health Summit features the following sessions highlighting the wearables and fitness trackers market:

• "Healthy Living, Connected Devices, and Wearables" - AARP, American Heart Association, Lowe's Companies, Inc., Masimo, Playtabase
• "The Role of Connected Devices in Digital Health" - Ayla Networks, Covidien/Zephyr Technology, iHealth Lab, Qualcomm Life/Continua Health Alliance, Z-Wave Alliance
• "Moving the Digital Health Market Forward: Consumers Take Charge" - Conversa Health, Doctor on Demand, Healthgrades, iTriage, Jawbone
• "Incentivizing Behavioral Changes: The Impact of Apps and Big Data" - dacadoo, Consumer Electronics Association, Humetrix, RunKeeper, Verizon Enterprise Solutions

Connected Health Summit keynotes include executives from Optum, Qualcomm Life, Humana Wellness, Walgreens, and Ascension Health. Follow the event on Twitter at @CONN_Health_Smt and #ConnectedHealth2014.

Media are invited to attend. Press passes are available at http://www.parksassociates.com/events/connected-health/media and include online access to event materials. To schedule an interview with a speaker or analyst, contact Holly Sprague at hsprague@gmail.com.

About Connected Health Summit
Connected Health Summit: Engaging Consumers analyzes the roles of connected health technologies and innovations in driving changes in consumer behaviors and business models. The event focuses on four areas of consumer health technologies in particular, which all require active consumer participation to be successful: remote health monitoring for accountable care, consumer-centric wellness and fitness solutions, independent living technologies and services, and innovative convenience care models.

The 2014 Connected Health Summit: Engaging Consumers will take place September 4-5 at the Omni Hotel in San Diego, CA. www.connectedhealthsummit.com. Follow the event on Twitter at @CONN_Health_Smt. Subscribe to Parks Associates' digital health newsletter at http://www.parksassociates.com/newsletters_subscribe.

About Parks Associates
Parks Associates is an internationally recognized market research and consulting company specializing in emerging consumer technology products and services. Founded in 1986, Parks Associates creates research capital for companies ranging from Fortune 500 to small start-ups through market reports, primary studies, consumer research, custom research, workshops, executive conferences, and annual service subscriptions.

The company's expertise includes digital media and platforms, entertainment and gaming, home networks, Internet and television services, digital health, mobile applications and services, support services, consumer apps, advanced advertising, consumer electronics, energy management, and home control systems and security.

Each year, Parks Associates hosts industry webcasts, the CONNECTIONS™ Conference Series, and Smart Energy Summit: Engaging the Consumer. http://www.parksassociates.com