In five years the number of wearable wireless health and fitness devices will hit 169.5 million, according to a report from ABI Research. That's up from almost 21 million such devices last year. By 2017 the number of sports and fitness focused wearable wireless devices will still outnumber more health-focused ones, but not by much. ABI expects about 90 million wearable fitness devices to be in the market five years from now, which leaves about 80 million health-focused ones.

The research firm partially attributes the predicted rise in the number of wearable fitness devices to the increasing number of mobile handset vendors, consumer electronics companies, and online service providers who have joined the market in recent months. ABI points to Nike, Adidas, and Motorola as some of the more high-profile examples. For many years the market has been dominated by "specialist, high-end vendors" like Polar and Garmin.

ABI also expects strong growth for home monitoring devices intended for assisted living applications as well as wearable devices that help people better manage their chronic conditions. The health wearables will also become more prevalent within hospitals and clinics, according to ABI.

“Leveraging mobile handsets to provide automated online data access opens up the wearable wireless market to real-time online connectivity. Although not the only option, standardization around Bluetooth Smart will be the bedrock of this market growth. A whole host of companies in the sports and medical device market, as well as online services companies, are going to have to add or extend their offerings and services to support a new wave of wearable sensor connectivity,” ABI principal analyst Jonathan Collins stated in the press release.

For more details, read the press release below:

PRESS RELEASE: LONDON -- The market for wearable sports and fitness activity sensors is set to explode over the next few years as a new generation of devices collect and automatically share data online. Nike, Adidas, and Motorola are just some of the companies to recently launch new wearable wireless products and there are plenty more to follow them. Mobile handset accessory vendors, consumer electronics companies, fitness management service offerings, and online services providers will all join a market that has long been the preserve of specialist, high-end vendors such as Polar and Garmin.

“Sports, fitness, and well-being applications will be the key engine of growth in the wearable wireless healthcare market as demand for a new wave of devices will be driven not just by growing consumer interest and awareness but also by increased competition and support for a raft of new applications,” says principal analyst Jonathan Collins.

Strong growth will also take place within home monitoring applications for assisted living, remote patient care to help manage chronic conditions, and within hospitals and clinics. Over the next five years, the total market for wearable wireless devices in sports and healthcare will grow to 169.5 million devices in 2017, up from 20.77 million in 2011, a CAGR of 41%.

At the heart of this growth will be ultra-low power wireless connectivity from wearable devices to mobile phones through support for Bluetooth Smart in handsets and devices. “Leveraging mobile handsets to provide automated online data access opens up the wearable wireless market to real-time online connectivity. Although not the only option, standardization around Bluetooth Smart will be the bedrock of this market growth. A whole host of companies in the sports and medical device market, as well as online services companies, are going to have to add or extend their offerings and services to support a new wave of wearable sensor connectivity,” says Collins.

ABI Research’s latest report, “Body Area Networks for Sports and Healthcare,” (http://www.abiresearch.com/research/1004149) examines the potential for devices and applications across a range of sports and healthcare applications.

It is part of the firm’s Wireless Healthcare (http://www.abiresearch.com/products/service/Wireless_Healthcare_Research...) and Wireless Connectivity (http://www.abiresearch.com/products/service/Wireless_Connectivity_Resear...) Research Services.

ABI Research provides in-depth analysis and quantitative forecasting of trends in global connectivity and other emerging technologies. From offices in North America, Europe and Asia, ABI Research’s worldwide team of experts advises thousands of decision makers through 40+ research and advisory services. Est. 1990. For more information visit www.abiresearch.com, or call +1.516.624.2500.