Fitness wearables will dip, but then bounce back, says study

Wearable fitness devices are projected to dip in popularity in the short term, but bounce back in 2016, according to new research.

Analyst Gartner believes there will be a dip in shipments of smart wristbands, sports watches, fitness monitors, smart garments and heart rate monitor chest straps next year, owing to overlapping functionality with smartphones. However, more versatile designs and lower cost displays will lead to a resurgence the following year.

Shipments are expected to be 68.1 million units in 2015, down from 70 milion units this year. However, in 2016 Gartner expects to see shipments leap to 91.3 million, as they raise their game and smart garments have great potential for growth.

The analyst expects fitness bands and other monitors to carve out a non-retail niche, as they will be increasingly offered for free, or at discounted prices, by gyms, weight loss clinics, insurance companies and employers.