One in ten adults to own a smartwatch in U.S. in 2019
Wearable use is growing in the U.S., fed by devices like the Apple Watch, attracting newer interest from the health benefits they tout. A new report from eMarketer puts smartwatches as the main reason people are adopting wearables, and it will continue to do so into 2019.
"Wearables like smartwatches are now coming equipped with additional health features, which are especially appealing to older Americans," said eMarketer forecasting analyst Cindy Liu, in a report. "The Apple Watch Series 4 is outfitted with some major enhancements, including ECG [electrocardiography] readings and fall-detection features."
Apple's new ECG feature went live this week, just as smartwatch and fitness tracker maker Garmin partnered with a health analysis firm to potentially pack more health monitoring features into its devices. The move comes as eMarketer predicts that half of wearable users in the U.S., who are 18 years old and up, will use a smartwatch—translating into 28.7 million adults.
Wearable use is expected to grow more than 9 percent in 2019 — with 60.5 million people in the U.S. set to use a device like a smartwatch or fitness tracker during their day.
The fastest growing population, though, will be those aged 55 to 64, growing 15.6 percent in 2019. U.S. adults 65 years old and up will have the next highest rate of adoption, at 15.1 percent.
As wearables start to handle more of the tasks we expect from our phones, like taking calls and sending texts, their usefulness will also help increase adoption, noted Liu.
"Continuous improvements in design and functionality are key drivers of smartwatch adoption," she said. "Specifically, LTE connectivity will be a huge driver, allowing smartwatch users to stay connected while leaving their phones behind. Other improvements, like longer battery life, larger screens, and new health features, will surely attract new users."
Check out The GearBrain, our product find engine, to see the other smartwatches that work with your smartphone or your Siri (Apple), Google Assistant, and Amazon Alexa-enabled devices.
