Providing market intelligence for more than 35 years

In The News

Wearables Find Market With 55+ Users, Big Gains Predicted For Next Year

Parks Associates in May estimated that over 10% of the 65+ population will own a PERS -- for Personal Emergency Response System -- device by 2021, and that figure will jump to 15% for seniors 75 and over. By that year, more than 56 million Americans will be 65 and over.

That’s good growth, but still leaves a lot of elderly people who won’t be using wearables. Jennifer Kent, director of research quality and product development at Parks, earlier told Marketing Daily that the “I’ve fallen and I can’t get up” messaging made famous by Life Alert all the way back in 1987, has created a hard-to-shake stigma. As a result, many older people have a strong resistance to even the more subtle smartwatch versions. 

From the article "Wearables Find Market With 55+ Users, Big Gains Predicted For Next Year" by P.J. Bednarski.

Previously In The News

Local News Sources Losing Ground To Live Streaming From Social Media

A growing number of U.S. broadband households is spending more time watching user generated live content on social media, according to a new industry report from Parks Associates. The growth in this s...

Landline Telephony Has Role in Post-Pandemic Home, Says Parks

COVID-19 led to renewed validation of legacy telephony technologies as voice calls “address the universal need for communication and social connection, providing a lifeline for everyday life, work, an...

Fitbit Buys Smartwatch Pioneer Pebble Amid Wearables Shakeup

The smartwatch market has also slumped. Apple Watch sales are down this year, and Lenovo’s Motorola brand has dropped out of the market. Most people simply aren’t finding reasons to buy them: Smartwat...

Google's DIY Security Exit Spurs Doubts About Segment's Future: Parks

Google's decision to discontinue its three-year-old Nest Secure do-it-yourself security system wasn’t a surprise, given Google’s $450 million investment in security stalwart ADT in August, Parks Assoc...