Kantar Worldpanel ComTech Announces First Industry Report on Wearable Consumer Technology

NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwired - Apr 25, 2016) - Kantar Worldpanel ComTech, the largest continuous consumer research and mobile phone tracking panel of its kind, has announced the publication of a quarterly report on Wearable Technology. Scheduled for Wednesday, May 4, 2016 and every quarter thereafter, it will analyze consumer purchase behavior regarding the nascent wearables market, including fitness bands and smart watches. 

"The demand for wearable technology has grown rapidly, but early consumer signals have been mixed," said Lauren Guenveur, mobile analyst for Kantar Worldpanel. "This is a perfect opportunity for our unique global panel tracking and analysis methods. The results will bring insight and clarity for manufacturers already in the market and those considering entrance into the market. They will also be insightful for companies in ancillary product and services markets, and consumers themselves."

The Wearables Barometer will include data from across different device types, from basic activity trackers to more advanced fitness bands, and full-featured devices including Pebble Smartwatch and Apple Watch.

"Manufacturers are speculating about where the market is, where it will go, and what consumers really want," said Shannon Conway, consumer analyst for Kantar Worldpanel. "Fitbit started off with a bang, but will consumers remain loyal to that concept, or want more? Will they gravitate upmarket as they have with smartphones? Those are the kinds of questions our new Wearables Barometer will answer."

"We see consumers behaving differently in the tablet market than in the smartphone market, with a slower adoption curve and far longer upgrade cycles," Conway added. "We'll be watching consumers of wearables to see if their behaviors progress similarly."

The Wearables Barometer will be available at 8:00 am EDT on Wednesday, May 4, 2016, at this URL: www.kantarworldpanel.com/global/News-Centre  

About Kantar Worldpanel
Through continuous monitoring, advanced analytics, and tailored solutions, Kantar Worldpanel inspires successful decisions by brand owners, retailers, market analysts, and government organizations globally. With over 60 years' experience, a team of 3,500, and services covering 60 countries directly or through partners, Kantar Worldpanel turns purchase behavior into competitive advantage in markets as diverse as FMCG, impulse products, fashion, baby, telecommunications and entertainment, among many others. For further information, visit: www.kantarworldpanel.com