Federica Laricchia
Research expert covering the global consumer technology industry
Wearables in the UK- statistics & facts
Answering calls and paying groceries with smartwatches, listening to your own music as you were in a soundproof room even if surrounded by noises – all things that seemed so far in the future are now here and part of our everyday activities thanks to wearable technology. As the name suggests, wearables are electronic devices that can be worn, including smartwatches, health and fitness trackers, and earbuds, as well as more recent additions like extended reality (XR) devices, such as virtual reality (VR) headsets and augmented reality (AR) glasses, and AI gadgets. Over the past decade, this industry has rapidly grown globally, and the United Kingdom (UK) is also surfing the wearable wave.
While fitness trackers, smartwatches, and earbuds have been established in the market for some time, new products have recently entered the wearable industry, such as virtual reality (VR) headsets and augmented reality (AR) glasses. For instance, the VR headset industry in the UK is forecast to reach almost 345 million British pounds in 2024.
The UK wearable market is expanding
The wearable market encompasses several sub-segments. In the UK, smartwatches are among the most profitable devices, combining smartphone features and fitness tracker capabilities. In 2024, the UK smartwatch market was expected to generate revenues of around 750 million British pounds and to steadily grow in the coming years. Fruitful in the country is also the headphone market, which, even if at a slower rate, is also expected to experience growth in the near future, recording a market volume of almost 30 million pieces by the end of 2024.While fitness trackers, smartwatches, and earbuds have been established in the market for some time, new products have recently entered the wearable industry, such as virtual reality (VR) headsets and augmented reality (AR) glasses. For instance, the VR headset industry in the UK is forecast to reach almost 345 million British pounds in 2024.
Who uses wearables in the UK?
No matter their age, race or location, wearable devices are well-known among consumers all over the United Kingdom. For instance, an increasing number of Brits were forecast to use smartwatches, amounting to over four million in 2024. Furthermore, consumers have a vast array of options in terms of brands when choosing their smartwatch, such as Apple, Fitbit, and Samsung. Apple is by far the leading smartwatch vendor in the country, with the other two occupying lower shares of the market. On the contrary, given their more niche nature, smaller groups own VR headsets, especially UK users between 16 and 24 years old. As technology develops, we can expect the industry to grow even more in the country, granting users access to many innovative wearable devices.
