More than 40 million smartphone owners are active users of at least one wellness or fitness app, according to recent Parks Associates research. The report, Mobile Carriers and Wireless Healthcare Opportunities examines market opportunities and challenges in the wireless healthcare market from the mobile operator’s perspective.
Findings
The report finds about one in four heads of household in broadband households use a mobile app to track their fitness progress or calorie intake, and the research firm expects usage and adoption to increase with the release of new mobile form factors such as the Apple Watch. Additionally, U.S. carriers have been slow to make their way into the wellness and fitness space, unlike carriers in global markets, particularly Asia, where carriers have been aggressive in entering the health markets.
According to Parks Associates, connected health devices accounted for approximately 4% of all M2M (machine-to-machine) connections in the U.S. in 2014. This portion is expected to double over the next five years as the healthcare vertical catches up to other, more mature M2M verticals, such as automotive, industrial telematics, etc.
“Digital health is an important part of the Internet of Everything, and wireless carriers need to align their connected health businesses with their larger connected living strategies,” said Jennifer Kent, Director, Research Quality & Innovation, Parks Associates. “Mobile carriers have multiple opportunities to provide value for business customers and consumers, though the landscape differs significantly by region.”
Last year, the research firm reported 41 percent of caregivers in U.S. broadband households currently use a digital health device as part of their caregiving routine, including 8 percent who use online tools to coordinate their efforts.
