HEALTH AND FITNESS WEARABLE TECH MARKET SET TO DOUBLE TO 13.1M USERS IN 2015

Kantar Media futurePROOF report records huge take-up of free and paid-for health and fitness apps and devices

London 16th October, 2014 - Newly released data from Kantar Media’s syndicated study, futurePROOF, shows that the health and fitness wearable tech market in Great Britain will rise to an estimated 13.1m users in 2015. 6.7m adults currently use health and fitness wearable devices and smartphone apps for activities such as monitoring their heart rate, recording steps taken and calculating fitness levels.

Other key findings of the research include:

Free vs. paid: Of these 6.7m, half only use free health and fitness apps on their smartphone, whilst half have paid for apps or devices. However, 84% of people currently using free apps (approximately 3.3m GB adults) are likely to purchase either health and fitness wearable tech devices or smartphone apps in the future. Similarly, 88% of people planning to use wearable technology in 2015 state that they would be likely to purchase a health and fitness wearable device.

Devices vs. smartphone apps: Around 2.6m (79% of the paying market) have bought a health and fitness wearable device and 1m (28%) are using a paid for health and fitness smartphone app. Only 7% of the paid market is currently using both apps and devices.

Glasses: It is likely that there will be growing interest in wearable tech glasses throughout 2015 with 15% of people currently using health and fitness wearable tech interested in purchasing and 30% of those entering the market in 2015 interested in purchasing them.

Fashion: In terms of the growing market for wearable tech in general, 12% of current users are interested in buying jewellery, 22% would consider clothing and 27% are thinking about purchasing shoes. These figures rise to 21%, 32% and 30% respectively for those entering the market in 2015.

Using the current prices of goods, Kantar Media has estimated the value of the current health and fitness wearable tech market. Its analysis suggests that in the region of £225m to £375m has been spent to date on health and fitness apps, smartwatches, running bands and other similar devices.

Rioch Brewer, Senior Statistician at Kantar Media Custom comments: “The health and fitness wearables market is still in its infancy, and brands targeting younger audiences as well as those in the sport and leisure categories are leading the way. These figures are set to increase as brands innovate in this space as a means of attempting to engage with consumers and extend the overall brand experience. It is also interesting to see that consumers are happy to pay for apps and devices, which opens up additional opportunities for manufacturers and developers.”

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futurePROOF - Research Methodology

The futurePROOF study is a syndicated subscriber study focused on adults (aged 16+) in Great Britain. Released bi-annually, it provides a snapshot of technology ownership and usage of digital media. The latest quantitative fieldwork took place in August 2014 with c.2000 people from Kantar Media’s TGI database interviewed via telephone. Data has been weighted to be nationally-representative.

For more information, please contact us at custom@kantarmedia.com

About Kantar MediaKantar Media provides critical information that helps our clients make better decisions about communications. We enable the world’s leading brands, publishers, agencies and industry bodies to navigate and succeed in a rapidly evolving media industry. Our services and data include analysis of paid media opportunities; counsel on brand reputation, corporate management and consumer engagement through owned media; and evaluating consumers’ reactions in earned media.  As the global house of expertise in media and marketing information, Kantar Media provides clients with a broad range of insights, from audience research, competitive intelligence, vital consumer behaviour and digital insights, marketing and advertising effectiveness to social media monitoring. Our experts currently work with 22,000 companies tracking over 4 million brands in 50 countries.

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NOTES TO EDITORS:For further information please contact:Teresa Horscroft / Kate AlexanderTel: +44 (0)7788 584413Email: presscontact@kantarmedia.com