Smart watches and connected entertainment devices, including game consoles and streaming media devices, will be the most popular gifts for the festive period, according to new research from Parks Associates.
Among connected devices acquired in 2014, 37% of smart watches, 25% of streaming media devices – including players such as Roku 3 and dongles such as Google Chromecast – and 20% of gaming consoles were received as gifts.
Other popular connected gifts include tablets and e-book readers, motion controllers, DVRs, MP3 players, and Internet-connectable music systems.
“Apple boosted the profile of the wearable category with the announcement of its Apple Watch,” said Harry Wang, director, health and mobile product research, Parks Associates.
“We expect sales of wearables, including connected activity trackers and smart watches, to top 11 million units by end of year in the US, thanks to this increased attention, and they will continue to be a popular gift purchase, especially on Black Friday, due to many promotions from retailers and OEMs and their uniqueness as a new-year gift to promote better health.”
Parks Associates analysis shows streaming sticks will account for a larger percentage of streaming media device sales in 2014 than they did in 2013, due largely to “appealing low price points.”
“Success of streaming media devices, both sticks and players, hinges in large part on younger consumers’ preference for online VOD,” added Glenn Hower, research analyst, Parks Associates.
“Over 70% of video consumption still occurs on the television. The experience of watching on the big screen is still a key part of the video-viewing event, and purchasing a streaming device is simply an easier process than the research and price comparison involved with flat-panel TV purchases.”
