Making the Case for Wearables

For wearables to be generally adopted, they must meet consumer needs for longtime use, according to Parks Associates, as reported by Judy Mott of Fierce Mobile Healthcare. At present about 5% of U.S. households contain an individual who uses a smart watch to track health and fitness. If that percentage is every going to increase, then, in the view of Park Associates, the consumer needs more education about the benefits of wearables.

What are those benefits?

It depends. Wearables like Fitbit offer consumers the ability to track the number of steps they walk, the calories they burn and their sleep activity. New smart watches add heart rate monitor and other vital signs trackers to the list.

"It is the increased adoption of smartphones that is fueling the mobile revolution that includes wearable devices, said Tejas Mehta, a research analyst covering the mobile and wearable markets. “Consumers' all-encompassing desire to use smartphones in all aspects of their lives is creating a dilemma for wearable OEMs, ” he added.

Mehta says that companies need to rally consumer interest in smart watches by educating them on the unique benefits that can accrue to users of these and other wearables.