Looks like it’ll be a smartwatch Christmas.
Smartwatches, Streaming Media Devices Top Holiday Gift Lists
Apple stoked interest by announcing its upcoming watch, but that won’t be out until spring.
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Smartwatches and connected entertainment devices will be among the most popular holiday gifts this year, according to researcher Parks Associates.
Apple boosted the profile of wearable devices this fall when it unveiled the Apple Watch. As a result of this heightened consumer awareness, sales of connected health and fitness trackers and smartwatches in the United States are expected to exceed 11 million units by the end of the year, Parks Associates predicts.
That’s more than double the number of such wearable devices sold in 2013, said Harry Wang, head of health and mobile product research for Parks Associates.
“Thanks to this increased attention, they will continue to be a popular gift purchase, especially on Black Friday, due to many promotions from retailers,” said Wang.
Apple won’t immediately benefit from this heightened interest — its watch isn’t expected until spring.
Parks Associates projects that 2014 sales of smartwatches will reach almost 18 million units worldwide, generating over $5 billion in revenue. This category is expected to continue to grow rapidly, reaching 121 million units over the next four years.
Wang said streaming media players are also high on the holiday gift-giving list. In consumer surveys, 25 percent of respondents said they had already purchased a Roku 3, Apple TV or similar device, or a streaming stick like Google’s Chromecast, to give as gifts this holiday.
Twenty percent of those surveyed said they had bought a game console as a present. Rounding out the list of top gadget gifts are tablets, e-book readers, motion controllers, digital video recorders and Internet-connectable music systems.
This article originally appeared on Recode.net.
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