Dan Ness, Principal Analyst, MetaFacts, October 10, 2024
Background
Wearables have extended the literal attachment many consumers maintain to their respective ecosystems. Smartwatches are more than a fashion accessory; they can act as a visible sign of one’s brand choice, much like white headphones or blue text messages. Watching the forward interest in watches is one key indicator of Apple’s future and that of its rivals.
Approach
This MetaFAQs is based on the responses of 54,619 respondents over four years from the MetaFacts TUP/Technology User Profile 2021 through 2024 waves, spanning the US, Germany, the UK, Japan, and China. It reports the percentage of online adults planning to purchase wearables in the next twelve months, specifically an Apple Watch, an Android Smartwatch, some other smartwatch, or a fitness tracker. This is further split by generations for global and US views. These results are drawn from the standard published TUP tables named 810 PLANSxAGEGEN.
Summary
Apple is in a slightly stronger market position in 2024 than in 2023, although the Apple Watch has maintained a steady and dominant interest since 2018. Global purchase plans for Apple Watches outnumber plans for Android Wear smartwatches. Apple has seen strengthening interest among Gen Z adults, a group it has consistently dominated with iPhones. Other earlier generations are successively less enthusiastic.
Tables – 810 PLANSxAGEGEN – Global – 2024
Tables – 810 PLANSxAGEGEN – Global – 2023
Tables – 810 PLANSxAGEGEN – Global – 2022
Tables – 810 PLANSxAGEGEN – Global – 2021
Tables – 810 PLANSxAGEGEN – US – 2024
Tables – 810 PLANSxAGEGEN – US – 2023
Tables – 810 PLANSxAGEGEN – US – 2022
Tables – 810 PLANSxAGEGEN – US – 2021
About MetaFAQs
MetaFAQs are answers to frequently asked questions about technology users. The research results showcase the TUP/Technology User Profile study, MetaFacts’ survey of a representative sample of online adults profiling the full market’s use of technology products and services. The current wave of TUP is TUP/Technology User Profile 2024, TUP’s 42nd annual. Current subscribers may use the comprehensive TUP datasets to obtain even more results or tailor these results to fit their chosen segments, services, or products. As subscribers choose, they may use the TUP inquiry service, online interactive tools, or analysis previously published by MetaFacts.
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Indexing
TUP Waves: TUP 2024, TUP 2023, TUP 2022, TUP 2021
TUP Lenses: Wearables, Hearables, Listening & Speaking; Technology Ecosystems; User Profile
TUP Tables: 810 PLANSxAGEGEN
TUP Tags: Age, Age generations, Android, Android Wear, Apple, Apple Watch, Boomers, Generations, Gen X, Gen Z, Google Android, Millennials, Operating systems, Purchase intentions, Purchase plans, Smartwatch, Technology Adoption, Technology Ecosystems, Trends, User Profile, Wearable technology, Wearables
TUP Unit: TUP_doc_2024_1010_splwt
Sustained-interest-in-smartwatches-although-generations-differ-TUP-2024-TUP_doc_2024_1010_plwt-20241013