"smart watch" articles

For the past few years, the start of September means a new announcement from tech giant Apple, and this year is no different. Today, we anticipate Apple will announce its newest iPhone model, the iPhone 7, as well as a new version of the popular Apple Watch. Apple remains the dominant smartphone manufacturer in the U.S According to Parks Associates’ 360 View: Mobility & the App Economy , Apple’s iPhone accounted for 47% of the U.S. smartphone market in 2015, an 11%...

Service providers and OEMs continue to introduce new offerings in Europe, bringing new value propositions and driving increased adoption and future purchase intentions of smart home and connected CE devices. Currently 45% of broadband households in the U.K., Germany, Spain, and France have a smart TV. Regarding future purchases, 33% of these broadband households plan to purchase a smart home device in the next 12 months. Additional Parks Associates research shows: French...

Fitbit launched its “Apple Watch killer”—the Blaze Smart Watch—on the first day of the CES week. On the same day, the leader in the fitness wearable market was hit by a class-action lawsuit from consumers who accuse Fitbit of false/misleading marketing about its Surge and Charge HR’s claim that they track accurately people’s heart rate. The company’s stock price tanked in two consecutive days—amid overall market volatility and almost wiping out Fitbit’s IPO...

Like any new product category, smart watches are forging a path way into consumer lifestyles. Parks Associates research shows 6% of U.S. broadband households own a smart watch, with an additional 9% expressing an intention to buy one by the end of 2015. This growing interest in smart watches over the past couple of years has resulted in an increasing number of players throwing their hats into the smart watch ring. However, as smart watch manufacturers wrestle with taking the smart...

I attended the London Wearable Technology Show last week. According to the event organizer, show floor traffic was up 250% and press coverage increased 60%, compared with last year’s inaugural event. Unlike other mega-events such as CES and Mobile World Congress where wearable was just a prominent track, this London event is dedicated to the wearable industry covering topics such as smart watches, fitness trackers, augmented reality, and smart garments. Exhibitors at the show...

Apple will host a “Spring Forward” media event on March 9, 2015 and many industry watchers, including myself, expect the iconic brand to officially introduce its Apple Watch for its fans to pre-order. For almost 6 months, Apple has drummed up marketing about the Watch and the media has been teased with conflicting details from official sources and unofficial “leaks;” by March 9, everything will be in the clear. The most intriguing question that I have is Apple’s marketing...

New digital health research from Parks Associates announced this week reveals that 5% of U.S. broadband households report using a smart watch with health and fitness tracking functions, and just 8% of U.S. households use a digital pedometer or fitness/activity tracker. Though adoption for smart watches is increasing, the low numbers should tell companies that education and differentiation are key. Commenting on the new data, Parks Associates mobile analyst Tejas Mehta said,...

WSJ today reported that the upcoming Apple Watch will feature fewer health sensors than originally planned. The article cited people within Apple saying that efforts to integrate multiple health sensors include ECG, blood pressure, and skin perspiration, ran into performance issues. After extensive trials and tests to improve sensor accuracy and reliability failed, Apple decided NOT to include such sensors in the first-generation Apple Watch, according to this article. The news is...