from DSSResources.comAre Americans prepared to sport wearable tech?NEW YORK, Nov. 6, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Wearable tech – small, wearable computer devices – is a pond many manufacturers seem interested in dipping their toes into lately, with several new products either recently to market or poised to launch in the immediate future. Most are either a watch/wristband or glasses/headset, though other types are on the horizon as well. But are Americans interested in such devices? Do they see them as potentially useful? And function aside, what about form? Do Americans think wearable tech can be stylish? These are some of the results of The Harris Poll of 2,577 U.S. adults surveyed online between September 18 and 24, 2013 by Harris Interactive. (Full findings with data tables can be found here) Overall, nearly half of Americans are at least a little interested (46%) in owning a watch or wristband type wearable tech device, with over one-fourth specifying that they are very or somewhat interested (27%). While nearly half are at least somewhat interested in some other type of device (46%; 26% very or somewhat interested), fewer show an interest in owning a wearable tech device in the headset/glasses vein (36% at least a little, 20% very or somewhat). But of course, different segments of the population show different levels of interest:
Form, function and fads Regardless of whether they want to own wearable tech themselves, what do Americans think of the trend? Overall opinions seem to be mixed, but Americans seem to be leaning slightly in the direction of skepticism. Roughly half of Americans believe wearable tech is just a fad (49%) and that it is not likely to become common, the way smartphones have (also 49%), with 35% and 37%, respectively, disagreeing. Skepticism is also the leading sentiment where usefulness is concerned: while four in ten Americans (40%) agree that that wearable tech could be useful for their lives, 47% disagree. Opinions are more evenly split on the matter of whether wearable tech can be stylish, with 43% agreeing it can be and 41% disagreeing. A bright spot for wearable tech is that fewer than four in ten Americans feel it needs to cannibalize an existing tech category in order to earn their interest, with 38% saying they would only be interested in wearable tech if it could replace something they already use, like a smartphone; 45% disagree with this sentiment. Looking at specific segments, however, not all Americans are so skeptical of this new category:
In the end, Americans aren't yet displaying truly decisive opinions either for or against wearable tech, which may reflect a simple lack of clear understanding of the category as a whole. The variety of devices coming to market thus far, and of the inconsistency of roles they're designed to fill in consumers' lives, can make it hard for the public to wrap its head around just what these devices are all about. Many technologies, from digital music players to smartphones, have struggled to gain mainstream attention until that one lightning-in-a-bottle moment, when a device came along to truly showcase the category and paint a picture of where and how it could fit into and enhance consumers' day to day lives. To see other recent Harris Polls, please visit the Harris Poll News Room. Want Harris Polls delivered direct to your inbox? Click here! Methodology This Harris Poll was conducted online within the United States between September 18 and 24, 2013 among 2,577 adults (aged 18 and over). Figures for age, sex, race/ethnicity, education, region and household income were weighted where necessary to bring them into line with their actual proportions in the population. Propensity score weighting was also used to adjust for respondents' propensity to be online. All sample surveys and polls, whether or not they use probability sampling, are subject to multiple sources of error which are most often not possible to quantify or estimate, including sampling error, coverage error, error associated with nonresponse, error associated with question wording and response options, and post-survey weighting and adjustments. Therefore, Harris Interactive avoids the words "margin of error" as they are misleading. All that can be calculated are different possible sampling errors with different probabilities for pure, unweighted, random samples with 100% response rates. These are only theoretical because no published polls come close to this ideal. Respondents for this survey were selected from among those who have agreed to participate in Harris Interactive surveys. The data have been weighted to reflect the composition of the adult population. Because the sample is based on those who agreed to participate in the Harris Interactive panel, no estimates of theoretical sampling error can be calculated. These statements conform to the principles of disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls. The results of this Harris Poll may not be used in advertising, marketing or promotion without the prior written permission of Harris Interactive. The Harris Poll® #79, November 6, 2013 About Harris Interactive SOURCE Harris Interactive |