Ericsson Consumer Labs Report: Personal Safety Devices Driving the Wearable Market
One in three smartphone users is expected to use five or more wearables after 2020

In the newly published Ericsson Consumer Labs report "Wearable Technology and the Internet of Things," about six out of ten smartphone users responded that they do not limit the use of wearables solely to general health and well-being. In particular, devices related to personal safety and security, such as panic buttons and personal location trackers, are attracting significant attention.

This ConsumerLab report synthesizes the opinions of 5,000 smartphone users (2,500 of whom are wearable users) in Brazil, China, Korea, the UK, and the US, and is designed to represent 280 million smartphone users worldwide.

In addition to the five wearable devices consumers most want, this report predicted that the wearable market will grow rapidly after 2020 and that wearables will replace smartphones to support interaction between users and physical objects in the era of the Internet of Things.

Wearable Market Expected to Grow Rapidly After 2020

Among smartphone users in the surveyed market, the number of people owning wearables has doubled compared to the previous year. However, consumers predicted that it would take more than a year for the current wearable generation to become mainstream.

The adoption of a wider variety of wearables, such as personal safety devices and smart clothing, is expected to increase after 2020, and rapid growth of the wearable market is anticipated through the proliferation of such diverse wearables. One in three smartphone users responded that they would use five or more wearables after 2020.

▲ Top 5 Wearable Devices Most Desired for Purchase
1. Panic/SOS button (32%)
2. Smartwatch (28%)
3. Location tracker (27%)
4. Identity Verifier (25%)
5. Wearable water purifier (24%)


With smartphones being used in every aspect of daily life, it has become difficult to imagine a future without them. However, two out of five smartphone users (43%) expect that, although it will take time, a world where wearables replace smartphones will eventually come. As wearables become smarter in terms of connectivity and acquire independent functionality, the importance of smartphone screens may diminish. 38% of smartphone users stated that wearables will perform most of the functions of smartphones within the next five years.

"Jasmit Singh Sethi, a consumer insights expert at Ericsson Consumer Lab, said, 'The fact that 40% of smartwatch users have already reported using their smartphones less frequently than before suggests that we are seeing the initial signs of wearables separating from smartphones in the future.'"

Use of ingestible sensors that automatically adjust temperature control systems to become a reality within 5 years

Wearable technology will accelerate the convergence of the digital and human worlds by drawing people into the world of the Internet of Things. While consumers are convinced that wearable technology will help them interact with objects around them, they also state that such technology may not necessarily be limited to devices. 60% of consumers believe that ingestible drugs and chips will be commonly used within five years.

Furthermore, this allows for the control of objects in various ways, such as tracking medical data, opening doors, and authenticating transactions and identities. Already today, 25% of smartwatch users use their smartwatches to remotely control digital devices in their homes, and 30% perform voice searches with their smartwatches.

Sing Sethi, a consumer insights expert, stated that while consumers show great interest in safety-related devices, we see the infinite possibilities of wearable technology further ahead. He said that using ingestible sensors that track body temperature and automatically adjust the thermostat upon arrival home could become a reality within five years.