Julie Ask says, “Few consumers categories have seen the explosive adoption that wearables have – especially fitness wearables.The category has gone from zero to tens of millions in sales in less than five years.

Without smartphones, however, the wearables market is likely nothing more than a fad for devoted athletes and passionate (or overzealous) weekend warriors. Smartphones have fueled growth in two core ways:

  • Mass adoption of smartphones made the components cheap.
  • Apps allowed for and created the engagement (e.g., gamification, competition, support, coaching) consumers need to meet their goals“.

Where Would The Wearables Market Be Without Smartphones?

The Forrester Blog