Fitbit trackers prove the most popular, but the Apple Watch also appeals

By David Nield May 25, 2015

fitbit hipaa compliance fitness tracker — Image used with permission by copyright holder

If you want to track your steps, activity and sleep, there’s no shortage of wearable gadgetry that you can strap to your person. A new consumer survey in the U.S. covering 5,000 participants has revealed a number of interesting figures on which devices are proving the most popular — and which are likely to gain ground in the next few months.

Fitbit is the manufacturer with the most to smile about: According to the survey, conducted by investment firm Robert W. Baird & Co, 8.4 percent of people own one of the company’s devices. 3.6 percent have a Garmin product, and 2.4 percent said they have something made by Jawbone. Overall, around 1 in 5 people said they own a fitness tracker of some kind.

What about the future? Almost a quarter of respondents said they intended to buy a fitness band — that’s a big jump from 14 percent in Baird’s December survey. Again, Fitbit leads with 10.6 percent of people saying they want to buy one of the company’s products; Jawbone is on 3.6 percent and Garmin is on 3.1 percent.

There’s a new player in town though — even if it’s a smartwatch with fitness functions rather than a dedicated fitness tracker. 5.9 percent of the people in the study said they were planning to buy an Apple Watch. By the time the same question is asked in a few months time, Apple may have made up some ground on its rivals in the wearable market.

As for those who already own a fitness tracker of some description, 16.5 percent are interested in getting a Fitbit, 13 percent want an Apple Watch, 9.8 percent are after a Garmin device and 7.1 percent are looking with intent at Jawbone products.

Which trackers have worked best for your own use? And are there really that many differences between them? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.

Via AppleInsider

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Dave is a freelance journalist from Manchester in the north-west of England. He's been writing about technology since the…

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