Data shows downtrend in demand for fitness-focused smartwatches

tasmiyahc576
tasmiyahc576 Posts: 2 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
We take a look at app check-in and sales data for fitness focused smartwatches compared to the more general-purpose smartwatches. The results show diminishing interest in smartwatches that are focused on fitness, but sustained sales for more general-purpose, lifestyle smartwatches.

https://media.thinknum.com/articles/fitbit/

Replies

  • sgt1372
    sgt1372 Posts: 3,997 Member
    Stopped wearing a watch years ago when I realized I didn't need one because a clock was already on the phone that I carried all the time anyway.

    Haven't worn a watch since and prefer not wearing one at all. Any fitness apps that I need are on my phone.

    The only thing that I was recently interested in getting was a Motiv fitness ring but it requires a later model phone than I have, which I'd have to pay for on top of the $200 ring for data of limited interest and usefulness to me. So, no ring for me either.
  • DX2JX2
    DX2JX2 Posts: 1,921 Member
    It's not a decrease in demand, it's just a convergence of the two products. Apple has shown consumers that it doesn't have to choose between fitness or lifestyle watches.

    I imagine that Garmin will remain a bit of an exception as it's always catered to the enthusiast market. We could not care less about answering emails or phone calls on our watches as long as they're accurate with performance data.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    tasmiyahc576 wrote: »
    We take a look at app check-in and sales data for fitness focused smartwatches compared to the more general-purpose smartwatches. The results show diminishing interest in smartwatches that are focused on fitness, but sustained sales for more general-purpose, lifestyle smartwatches.

    https://media.thinknum.com/articles/fitbit/

    I think it has more to do with integration of both fitness and general purpose smart watches rather than having one that is solidly focused on just fitness...think Apple Watch and the Samsung watch...they do a good job of both for what most people are going to use them for. I'd think a dedicated fitness smart watch would be more than what a lot of people need, but it will always have a niche market.
  • jjpptt2
    jjpptt2 Posts: 5,650 Member
    edited April 2018
    Maybe all the MFP chanting about how terrible they are is being heard outside MFP walls?



    On a different note -
    smart watches, fitness watches... what about regular ol wrist watches??? Where's the love?



  • DX2JX2
    DX2JX2 Posts: 1,921 Member
    jjpptt2 wrote: »
    Maybe all the MFP chanting about how terrible they are is being heard outside MFP walls?



    On a different note -
    smart watches, fitness watches... what about regular ol wrist watches??? Where's the love?



    Ha. I have 7 mechanical watches that I've collected over the years. They haven't been out of their cases in about a year. Oh well, I guess this means that they'll be in much better shape when I hand them down to my kids.
  • jjpptt2
    jjpptt2 Posts: 5,650 Member
    DX2JX2 wrote: »
    jjpptt2 wrote: »
    Maybe all the MFP chanting about how terrible they are is being heard outside MFP walls?



    On a different note -
    smart watches, fitness watches... what about regular ol wrist watches??? Where's the love?



    Ha. I have 7 mechanical watches that I've collected over the years. They haven't been out of their cases in about a year. Oh well, I guess this means that they'll be in much better shape when I hand them down to my kids.

    I still wear one every day. I've got 3 that I wear often, and 4 or 5 more than I wear less frequently.
  • DX2JX2
    DX2JX2 Posts: 1,921 Member
    jjpptt2 wrote: »
    DX2JX2 wrote: »
    jjpptt2 wrote: »
    Maybe all the MFP chanting about how terrible they are is being heard outside MFP walls?



    On a different note -
    smart watches, fitness watches... what about regular ol wrist watches??? Where's the love?



    Ha. I have 7 mechanical watches that I've collected over the years. They haven't been out of their cases in about a year. Oh well, I guess this means that they'll be in much better shape when I hand them down to my kids.

    I still wear one every day. I've got 3 that I wear often, and 4 or 5 more than I wear less frequently.

    Oddly enough, one of the other reasons that I don't wear mine anymore is that I lost too much weight and don't feel like taking the time to remove bracelet links or to change the pin settings.
  • jjpptt2
    jjpptt2 Posts: 5,650 Member
    haha. I was just fussing around with a couple of mind last night doing exactly that!
  • canadianlbs
    canadianlbs Posts: 5,199 Member
    jjpptt2 wrote: »
    what about regular ol wrist watches??? Where's the love?

    *raises hand*

  • aokoye
    aokoye Posts: 3,495 Member
    tasmiyahc576 wrote: »
    We take a look at app check-in and sales data for fitness focused smartwatches compared to the more general-purpose smartwatches. The results show diminishing interest in smartwatches that are focused on fitness, but sustained sales for more general-purpose, lifestyle smartwatches.

    https://media.thinknum.com/articles/fitbit/

    I don't see any real grain of truth in this. They're comparing two companies that tend to focus on activity tracking in their watches/wearable devices as opposed to sport/fitness tracking. Also those numbers are only from Best Buy's sales figures.
  • briscogun
    briscogun Posts: 1,138 Member
    tasmiyahc576 wrote: »
    We take a look at app check-in and sales data for fitness focused smartwatches compared to the more general-purpose smartwatches. The results show diminishing interest in smartwatches that are focused on fitness, but sustained sales for more general-purpose, lifestyle smartwatches.

    https://media.thinknum.com/articles/fitbit/

    They're using Facebook logins to determine Fitbit usage, which with all the fuss over FB a lot of people have changed their app settings and are making sure their devices and apps aren't "sharing" anymore with FB. Just because someone isn't uploading their workout to social media doesn't mean they aren't using them anymore.

    This study is wonky at best and the numbers are only a sample size from one retailer (Best Buy). I'm calling "shenanigans" on this story...
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,343 Member
    briscogun wrote: »
    tasmiyahc576 wrote: »
    We take a look at app check-in and sales data for fitness focused smartwatches compared to the more general-purpose smartwatches. The results show diminishing interest in smartwatches that are focused on fitness, but sustained sales for more general-purpose, lifestyle smartwatches.

    https://media.thinknum.com/articles/fitbit/

    They're using Facebook logins to determine Fitbit usage, which with all the fuss over FB a lot of people have changed their app settings and are making sure their devices and apps aren't "sharing" anymore with FB. Just because someone isn't uploading their workout to social media doesn't mean they aren't using them anymore.

    This study is wonky at best and the numbers are only a sample size from one retailer (Best Buy). I'm calling "shenanigans" on this story...

    I'd call shenanigans on it too. I don't have my activity tracker connected to any social media, as I'm sure none of my friends would be interested in what I did for exercise on any given day (let alone every single day). Facebook is already full of enough dreck, I'd probably unfollow any friend who clogged my news feed with updates every time they exercised. I'm sure a lot of others feel the same way. And Best Buy is far from the only place to buy activity/fitness trackers. In fact, I'd venture to say they're probably not even the biggest seller of them.

    It sounds more like somebody was just looking for hits on their blog.

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