According to a recent study conducted among American adults by Ipsos, the market for wearable technology is heating up, and Apple is the presumptive king among wearable devices.
When asked which brands Americans would consider purchasing in the wearable category, the top three most mentioned brands that dominate the mobile platform market, are: (% of Respondents)
Fitness brands were also highly mentioned, with:
Julia Roland, Vice President with Ipsos MediaCT, says “… there are two key characteristics influencing buyers… in the wearable space… consumers are looking for a product that seamlessly integrates across devices… easy connection and integration with smartphones, laptops and tablets is essential… (then) seven in ten intenders indicate that they will only choose a brand they trust…
For the nearly one fifth of American adults who are ready to buy such devices, style and functionality weigh equally in importance. 70% say having a wearable device that seamlessly connects with other devices is important, and 69% agree that color, shape and size are very important considerations when shopping for a wearable device.
Many consumers will purchase despite concerns about privacy and potential health risks, says the report: 45% of likely purchasers believe that wearable technology is a significant threat to personal privacy, and 42% of likely purchasers say they are concerned about the health risks of wearing technology on their body.
68% of current wearable technology device owners agree they see the benefits to their lives. But 21% of non-owners understand how wearable devices will benefit their lives. Men and young adults are more likely to recognize the value that wearable devices can bring, says the report.
Roland adds “… the research shows that the opportunities are there… to convince consumers that these devices are worth the price tag, the benefits and use cases need to be clearly highlighted in product marketing and communications…”
Wearable Tech Gear Nearing Tipping Point | ||
| Own/Very Familiar | Somewhat Familiar/Heard of |
Wearable Computer | 46% | 32% |
Wearable Fitness monitor | 41 | 39 |
Source: Ipsos Poll, December 2014 |
Category Purchase Intent Next 12 Months | |
Category | Purchase Intent |
Smart phone | 39% |
Laptop | 28 |
Tablet | 27 |
Smart TV | 20 |
Videogame console | 19 |
Laptop/Tablet combo | 19 |
Wearables | 18 |
Streaming media device | 16 |
eReader | 15 |
4K TV | 10 |
Adults Ready To Buy (Base: Aware of Device) | |
Product | % Adults |
Fitness monitor | |
Total | 19% |
Men | 19 |
Women | 18 |
Age | |
18-34 | 31 |
35-44 | 14 |
55+ | 11 |
Glasses | |
Total | 13% |
Men | 19 |
Women | 8 |
Age | |
18-34 | 26 |
35-44 | 10 |
55+ | 6 |
Source: Ipsos Poll, December 2014 |
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These are findings are from an Ipsos poll conducted in October 2014 of a sample of 2,011 Americans ages 18+ interviewed online., the poll has credibility intervals of plus or minus 2.5 percentage points for all respondents. The data were weighted to the U.S. current population data by gender, age, region and household income.
To learn more from Ipsos, please visit here.