Providing market intelligence for more than 35 years

In The News

Survey: Consumers Prefer Keeping Wearable Device Data from Insurers

According to research firm Parks Associates, the majority of those surveyed indicated that they are not willing to share data collected from wearable devices, even if it meant receiving a discount on their health insurance premiums. In spite of this reluctance, these same consumers were willing to share data for the purpose of troubleshooting the devices themselves.

The results of the survey varied significantly by device. Forty-two percent of digital pedometer owners were willing to share data in order to receive a health insurance discount; for smartwatch owners the total was 35 percent; and for sleep-quality monitor owners it was 26 percent. Nevertheless, a solid majority of device owners was not willing to share data.

Consumers are justified in their concerns about health data privacy. The Los Angeles Times told in July of a security breach in October 2014 where hackers compromised UCLA Health Systems’ computer network, putting 4.5 million patients’ sensitive data at risk. What was troubling about the incident was that it took nearly seven months from the time suspicious activity was discovered in October, to May 5, which is when investigators determined the system was hacked. Additionally troubling was that the data was not even encrypted.

From the article "Survey: Consumers Prefer Keeping Wearable Device Data from Insurers" by Christopher Mohr.

Previously In The News

Being Smarter About Smart Home Alarms

But by the end of the 20th century that market growth leveled off and stagnated. Fast-forward to the past 10 years, with heightened acceleration the past three to five, and (according to Parks Associa...

Smart Home Devices for MDU Residents: Are You Selling to This Lucrative Market?

Parks Associates research shows 43% of U.S. MDU residents report using smart home devices. Here’s why IoT products are in-demand by both residents and property managers. MDU residents making use of...

36% of CE and Smart Home Product Returns Due to Setup, Installation Problems

CE research data from Parks Associates finds 36% of US broadband households who returned a specified CE or smart home device in the last 12 months cited difficulty in setup, installation, and usage as...

Smart Home Devices in the MDU Market: Connectivity, New Partnerships & Proptech Solutions

Additionally, Parks Associates research reveals that 34% of U.S. broadband households are MDU residents. MDU categories consist of apartments, condominiums, duplexes, quadruplexes, townhomes and dormi...