Providing market intelligence for more than 35 years

In The News

Wearables must align to consumer needs for longtime adoption

New research from Parks Associates reveals 5 percent of U.S. broadband households are home to a smartwatch providing health and fitness tracking features, and 8 percent of households are using a digital fitness activity tracker such as a pedometer. But whether those households will grab more devices or upgrade down the road--and whether more households overall will jump on mHealth device bandwagon--is dependent on greater consumer education about the benefits of such tools, according to the Dallas-based firm.

"Though increased adoption of smartphones is fueling the mobile revolution that includes wearable devices, consumers' all-encompassing desire to use smartphones in all aspects of their lives is creating a dilemma for wearable OEMs," Tejas Mehta, a research analyst covering the mobile and wearable markets, says in an announcement regarding the latest Parks data on mHealth device adoption trends.

"Companies need to rally consumer interest in smart watches by educating them on the unique experiences and benefits of these and other wearables," Mehta says. "Otherwise, the majority of consumers may not see the reason to purchase another device that has similar, if not the same, capabilities as their smartphone."

From the article "Wearables must align to consumer needs for longtime adoption" by Judy Mottl.

Previously In The News

22 percent of smartwatch owners plan to use it for home control, automation

Parks Associates analysts say that mobile devices are becoming the de facto controllers for home automation, with apps as the critical interface between the user and the home. For example, nearly 50%...

New council will guide family caregivers to available tools

Inns told MobiHealthNews in an email that because family caregivers do not identify as caregivers, they do not seek out the caregiver tools that could help them, so the council wants to build awarenes...

iPhone Controlled 40% Of US Smartphone Market In 2015, Data Shows

Samsung achieved a 31 percent share, Parks Associates noted. That further cemented the company's position as the second-most popular phone vendor in the U.S., easily surpassing third-place LG, which m...

Samsung Is Catching Up To The iPhone, By The Numbers

Apple might still be in the lead, holding 40 percent of the smartphone market, but its competitors are starting to catch up. Looking at the latest United States smartphone market share numbers, resear...