Enterprise Wearable Market to Soon See Shift from Wrist to Body-Worn Devices

ABI Research Forecasts Body-Worn Wearables Will Exceed 116 Million Shipments in 2021

News provided by

Jan 09, 2017, 10:18 ET

LONDON, Jan. 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The enterprise wearable market is experiencing a shift from wrist-worn devices to body- and head-worn wearables. ABI Research forecasts enterprise wearable shipments will grow from 30 million shipments in 2016 to nearly 147 million in 2021 with wrist-worn wearable shipments projected to triple by 2021 to reach 30 million. Body-worn devices will surge from 20 million to more than 116 million over the same period.

"The body-worn segment includes smart glasses, VR headsets, hearables, wearable cameras, smart clothing, and mHealth devices," says Stephanie Lawrence, Research Analyst at ABI Research. "Wrist-worn wearables have been great at collecting data, but their enterprise appeal remains limited relative to the broader opportunity provided by body-worn wearables."

The most common form of wrist-worn enterprise devices is wearable scanners, which are projected to comprise 73% of devices shipped in this segment by 2021. The body-worn enterprise wearable market, however, will become much more diverse as awareness surrounding the benefits of devices like head-mounted displays continues to increase. These devices in particular allow workers to stay connected and access systems' information in a hands-free manner.

"Wrist-worn devices will not go away, by any means, but body-worn devices will continue to overshadow their growth," concludes Lawrence. "Central to enterprise wearables' move up the adoption curve is the general migration from mobile to more desk-less and dynamic work environments, where companies like Google, Microsoft, ODG, and Vuzix, are heavily invested."

These findings are part of ABI Research's Wearable Device Market Share and Forecasts (https://www.abiresearch.com/market-research/product/1024523-wearable-device-market-share-and-forecasts/) report.

About ABI Research

ABI Research stands at the forefront of technology market research, providing business leaders with comprehensive research and consulting services to help them implement informed, transformative technology decisions. Founded more than 25 years ago, the company's global team of senior and long-tenured analysts delivers deep market data forecasts, analyses, and teardown services. ABI Research is an industry pioneer, proactively uncovering ground-breaking business cycles and publishing research 18 to 36 months in advance of other organizations. For more information, visit www.abiresearch.com.