Gen Z: Wearable Tech Opportunities

Fourteen per cent of US online youth (aged 12 to 17) currently use a wearable device, according to an April 2016 survey from Boston-based market research company Forrester.

Among the demographic, the most popular gadget is the Fitbit, followed by the Apple Watch. Other highlights from the report include:

• Gendered Devices: Preferences for wearable devices among US online youth differ significantly by gender. Just a third (33%) of Fitbit users are male, while more than half (58%) are female. Some 31% of Apple Watch users are male, while 24% are female.

• Wellbeing Communities: Gen Z's uptake of devices offering health and lifestyle monitoring suggests the demographic is interested in devices that promote a healthy lifestyle and offer access to wellbeing communities and shareable results.  

• Protective Measures: Parents of Gen Z will find wearables can function as helpful protective devices for their children. "Tomorrow's parents will consider security-focused wearables as unremarkable as bicycle helmets are in the US, where they're a commonplace protective measure," Forrester vice-president JP Gownder said in the report.

For more on how the latest wearable devices are boosting safety and consumer engagement by creating wellbeing communities, see our Wearable Technology Show 2016 report.