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

Why Moving ‘Dancing With the Stars’ to Disney+ Isn’t the Demotion You Might Think: Analysis

Paul Erickson, research director of entertainment and consumer electronics at Parks Associates, said the “DWTS” move is smart programming and a win for both ABC and Disney+. "They’re looking at ‘Da...

Warner Bros. Discovery Is Built for the Streaming Wars – If It Can Shed Legacy Baggage: Analysis

“Hypothetically a new combined entity will be a stronger competitor,” Parks Associates analyst and director of research Paul Erickson told TheWrap. “HBO Max on its own merits is already breaking into...

Netflix, Newbies Among Top OTT Services

According to estimates from Parks Associates’ most recent “OTT Video Market Tracker,” the top video streaming service (based on number of subscribers) is Netflix, followed by Amazon Video and Hulu. Be...

OTT Service Forecast To See Sharp Growth In Next 5 Years

Over-the-top video platforms continue to see sharply higher new business and usage -- and will see rapid growth in five years. Parks Associates says nearly 60% of U.S. broadband homes have used at le...