• by Aaron Baar , June 13, 2016

Despite some crossover capabilities, smartwatches are not cannibalizing the continued ownership growth of fitness trackers. Yet. 

According to a new report from The NPD Group Connected Intelligence, activity tracker ownership is continuing to grow, and it commands more than double the smartwatch ownership base. Also, 47% of people who say they exercise several times a week said they plan to purchase an activity tracker soon. 

Fitness trackers are still the preferred measuring device in most exercise categories, with the gap beginning to narrow. Runners, for instance, have started to show a preference for smartwatches, with 22% of owners reporting they run on a regular basis (compared with 21% of activity tracker users).

Yet the focus on the fitness capabilities of smartwatches may prove to be a key to getting them out of the early adopter phase and become more mainstream. Seventeen percent of smartwatch owners said they considered fitness a passion, compared with 13% of fitness tracker owners. 

“The activity tracker became the device of choice for the middle-aged consumer looking to get in better shape by starting an exercise routine. But that’s not where the story has to end,” said Eddie Hold, president of Connected Intelligence, in a statement. “Activity tracker companies must continue to broaden their portfolios to satisfy more exercise-focused consumers -- combining specialist functions with generalist capabilities.”