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One of the biggest lifestyle changes in tech is the popularity of wearables. Look around and chances are that you’ll see someone sporting a wearable on their wrist. From Fitbit to Apple Watch to Samsung, wearables have been gaining popularity among a broad range of people.
But what do people do with their wearables? If they’re so popular, how can wearables make lives better?
A survey conducted by Quill.com offers a glimpse into the mindset of wearable users. Quill surveyed 350 Android users in June 2017 to learn how they used their wearables, which wearables they use, and how they would like to use their wearables in the future.
The results of the survey show some interesting insights into the many ways wearables are changing our daily lives. Quill created an infographic showing the results of the survey, which it offered to share with Wonder of Tech readers and which you can check out later in this article.
Who Was Surveyed
Quill used Google Surveys to question over 8000 males and females in the U.S., between the ages of 25 to 54, and who owned Android phones. To be included in the survey, people had to own and actively use a wearable, which narrowed down the participants to 350 people. Almost 90% of the respondents did not wear a wearable and were not included in the survey.
Participation was fairly evenly divided between age groups, showing wearables are used not only by younger people:
- 25-34-year-olds 36.7%
- 35-44-year-olds 39.1%
- 45-54-year-olds 24.2%
What Types of Wearables Do People Wear?
Wearables have expanded beyond the original fitness trackers, but Fitbit was the most popular wearable in the survey with 36.1% of respondents wearing a Fitbit.
24.6% of respondents reported using an Apple Watch, which is particularly notable since all of the participants in the survey were users of Android phones. The Apple Watch requires an iPhone connection to work.
Check out => The 8 Surprising Ways I’m Using My Apple Watch
Garmin, Jawbone, TomTom, Withings, and Samsung were other wearables that respondents of the survey used.
Benefits of Wearing a Wearable
There’s no point in wearing a wearable unless it gives you some benefits. Respondents listed numerous benefits to wearing their wearables, many relating to a more healthy lifestyle.
The benefits listed by survey participants include:
- I exercise more/better 31.3%
- I am more conscious of my sleep habits 21%
- I have met my weight goals 19.5%
- I am more productive at work or home 17%
- I’m more mindful of what and when I eat 16%
- I feel less stressed 12.8%
- Other 28.8%
Other specific benefits people listed included tracking calories, monitoring heart rate, tracking steps.
Over 82% of participants use their wearable to track steps, always or sometimes. 43.6% of respondents measure their heart rate using a wearable. And over 52% of people in the survey used their wearables to track calories always or sometime.
Don’t Miss => 7 Ways to Monitor Your Heart Rate Using Apple Watch
Women expressed more benefits of using a wearable than men did. 65.3% of women surveyed said that using a wearable has positively influenced their lives. Only 34.8% of men felt the same way.
Future Benefits of Wearables
Looking to the future, respondents expressed a wish for even more benefits from wearables. Some future features people would like to have from wearables include:
- GPS
- Playing Music
- Track oxygenation
- Work in a pool
- Track blood sugar
- Monitor stress levels
Note that the Apple Watch, beginning with Series 2, has a GPS and can work in a pool to track activity such as swimming. The Apple Watch also can store up to 2 GB of music and play songs even when not connected to an iPhone.
Your Thoughts
Were you surprised at the results of the Quill wearable survey? What features of wearables do you find most beneficial? Would the results of this survey encourage you to use a wearable? What future features would you like to see from wearables?
Share your thoughts in the Comments section below!
I use something similar to a FitBit. It tracks my steps and is a watch. I like it. My son bought it for me, to help me with my walking goals.
Hi Lorraine, That’s great you have a wearable that helps you reach your walking goals. Wearables can really help people become more active and become more aware of when they need to move.
I hope you continue to enjoy your wearable, Lorraine.
This is a wonderful post. These wearables have made our life very easy. It helps us to stay fit and keep track of our well being.
Hi Sajid, Yes, wearables can do many things, but if all they did was keep us healthier, that alone would be a great reason to wear them!
Wearables are in fact surprisingly useful. That’s why a lot of people prefer to use it.
Hi Matt, Yes, it seems as if more and more people are using wearables for all sorts of reasons. But fitness tracking appears to be a very popular reason for using wearables. Hey, if wearables keep us healthier, then it’s fantastic they’re becoming so popular.
Wearable devices are really a fad nowadays. I used to believe that they are only a style statement or ways to flaunt new gadgets, but wearing a Fitbit has really transformed my life and i am becoming more conscious about the calorie intake and the steps I take daily. A really good read. Cheers!
Hi James, I’m so glad you enjoyed this article. You may still be correct, wearables may indeed be a fad. But their popularity seems to be increasing as people realize the benefits of wearables and how they can improve daily lives.