By Chuck Martin, Internet of Things Keynote Speaker
A wearable device for a parent or grandparent may be the perfect Christmas gift this year.
Americans 55 and older are now the fastest growing group of people wearing electronic wearables, according to a new tally.
Next year, 8 million U.S. adults 55 and older will use a wearable device, an increase of more than 15% from this year, according to the study by eMarketer. While still a relatively small share of wearable users, the older demographic is the fastest growing segment.
A total of 61 million people in the U.S. will use a wearable device next year, an increase of 9% from this year, according to eMarketer. By age, almost a third (30%) of wearable users will be older than 45 next year and 26% will be between the ages of 18 and 34. The largest group (17%) of wearable users will be between the ages of 25 and 34.
Overall, more than one in five (21%) internet users are projected to use a wearable device next year.
Consistent with other studies, eMarketer sees smartwatches as the main driver of wearable usage, with 29 million adults, more than half of adult wearable users, using a smartwatch. Next year, 11% of all U.S. adults are projected to wear a smartwatch.
By 2020, 32 million people in the U.S. are projected to be smartwatch users, growing to 34 million the next year and 37 million by 2022.
