A new survey of consumers of mobile health and fitness apps indicates interest in wearable tracking devices will continue to spike over the next few years.
The survey, commissioned by the Wellesley, Mass.-based mobile engagement provider Mobiquity Inc., of 1,000 users of mobile health (mHealth) apps found that 55 percent plan on using wearable tracking devices to improve their health. Specifically, more than half say they'll use pedometers, with 48 percent interested in wristbands and 45 percent favoring smartwatches. A total of 63 percent say they will use their wearable device on a daily basis.
"Triggered by our innate curiosity and fueled by mobile technologies, the quantified self movement has taken off as people collect data about everything from the calories they ingest and distances they run, to their sleep cycles and medication adherence," Scott Synder, president and chief strategy officer at Mobiquity, said in a statement. "Mobile apps were the first chapter and wearables devices are emerging as the next great frontier of personal healthcare. That said, for wearable technologies to become mainstream, they must overcome three key hurdles: they must mesh with our daily routines, become aesthetically cool and offer privacy controls."
Of those surveyed, 73 percent of respondents believe they are healthier today, thanks to their use of mobile technology to track health and fitness. Sixty-three percent will continue - and increase - their use of mobile technology for health tracking over the next five years.
Another survey from Mobiquity found that while 70 percent of people use mobile apps on a daily basis to track calorie intake and monitor physical activities, only 40 percent share data and insights with their doctors.
