Nielsen Says Most People Have Heard of Wearables, One in Six Actually Wearing One

The wearable market certainly has a lot of work to do to become a mainstream phenomenon, but at least people are starting to hear about the category.

A study from Nielsen being released Thursday found that 70 percent of consumers are aware such gadgets exist, with one in six actually having tried a smartwatch, fitness band or other sort of wearable.

That’s good news for device makers, many of which plan to launch new wearables in the coming months. Samsung announced its Gear 2 and Gear Fit smartwatches at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, while LG and Motorola plan Android-based smartwatches in the coming months. HTC has also said it will have a wearable product this year.

Apple and Microsoft are also said to be working on wearable devices.

Not surprisingly, Nielsen found buyers tend to be younger, have more disposable income and define themselves as early adopters. Roughly half are in the 18-to-34 demographic.

This article originally appeared on Recode.net.

Explanatory journalism is a public good

At Vox, we believe that everyone deserves access to information that helps them understand and shape the world they live in. That's why we keep our work free. Support our mission and help keep Vox free for all by making a financial contribution to Vox today.

One-Time Monthly Annual

$95/year

$120/year

$250/year

$350/year

Other

$

Yes, I'll give $120/year

Yes, I'll give $120/year

We accept credit card, Apple Pay, and Google Pay. You can also contribute via