With the boom of wearable smart devices this year, many gadget lovers (and sellers) compete to get the latest smart devices on the market.
However, while people think that the future smart watch releases from Apple and Google is going to be bright, the new data from ABI research suggests that smart watches might not really the king of new wearable tech. Instead, brands like Fitbit, Garmin, Nike and Jawbone has beaten smart watches selling 4-1 in 2014. They have all found success selling fitness bands and other activity-tracking devices. (see below report)
“Activity trackers are currently the most viable consumer electronics wearable device category, because they have a clear use case that cannot be matched by smartphones, in contrast to smart watches,” says ABI senior practice director Nick Spencer. “Telling time on someone’s wrist doesn’t make the smart watch stand out enough from a smartphone. Without a unique necessity, users are willing enough to ignore smart watches and use smartphones to tell time.”
Moreover, on the wearable tech world, smart watches are on the low side, even in theory. When asked which kinds of wearable tech people would consider buying, smart watches measure below fitness bands and health monitors, beating out only glass-type gadgets like Google Glass. Still, we should not dismiss smart watches, which are evolving and, if you believe in reincarnation, a nascent category.