Older People are Driving Growth in Wearables

When you think of consumers of wearable technology, the over-55s are not necessarily the demographic that springs to mind. However, Fortune found that health monitoring features such as the Apple Watch’s new ECG app appeal to older people. Consequently, the number of users in that age group is expected to rise faster than the average.
The number of people using smart wearables is expected to grow 9% next year, but among people age 55 and older, it will jump more than 15%, according to research firm eMarketer. The reason is that wearable makers like Apple and Fitbit have been adding health monitoring features that appeal to older consumers. Apple added a fall detection app and an EKG monitor to the Apple Watch Series 4 this year, for example, while Fitbit is adding a feature to detect sleep apnea.