A new survey from YouGov has revealed that a considerable number of UK adults are worried that the data collected from their wearable devices could be used by companies to learn more about their lifestyle than they might be comfortable with.
In a poll of over 2,000 people aged 18 and over, YouGov found 48% were concerned about the impact that wearable technology would have on their privacy, with a quarter (25%) indicating that better data protection would make them more likely to upgrade their devices.
Issues around privacy are, however, not the biggest barrier to the wider adoption of wearable tech. YouGov found that 59% of respondents agreed that wearable technology is too expensive, while almost a third (30%) consider these devices nothing more than a fad.
Unsurprisingly, adoption rates of wearable tech vary significantly by age. Young adults aged 18-34 were the most likely to use wearables, with 46% of 18-24-year-olds and 47% of 25-34-year-olds owning a smartwatch, compared to only 19% of those aged 55 and over, with similar trends found in the adoption of fitness trackers, smart glasses and smart rings, although these remain more niche products.
However, more than half of UK adults (54%) said they don’t use any wearable tech at all, suggesting that current devices aren’t offering enough value for the costs involved.
Beyond enhanced security, YouGov found that a more diverse range of advanced features could enhance people’s wearable experience, with the most appealing upgrades centring around health insights.
The top health feature users want from wearables is non-invasive glucose or blood pressure monitoring (32%), followed by AI-powered health insights and early disease detection (29%), and advanced stress, emotional, and mental health tracking (28%).
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YouGov also found that features such as syncing with healthcare providers (23%), connecting with smart home devices (25%), and real-time integration with nutrition and meal planning apps (20%) appealed to a sizable number of UK consumers.
Despite recognising the value of health insights that wearable technology could provide, only 9% said they would be very willing to pay more for devices that offer advanced wellness tracking, while 29% were very unwilling to pay extra for such upgrades.
YouGov’s data comes at what could be a critical juncture for wearable device developers. Research this month from technology analyst Counterpoint found that the global smartwatch market fell 7% last year, the first ever decline in the overall market, while global VR headset shipments fell 12% YoY in 2024, marking the third consecutive year of declines due to continued weak consumer demand.
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