Fitbit Surge

Sixty million US households will own at least one connected fitness tracker by the end of 2019, according to a report from research firm Parks Associates.

“Standards-based connectivity technologies such as Bluetooth/Bluetooth Smart have been key enablers for wearable mobile device platforms such as fitness trackers and smart watches,” Parks Associates Research Analyst Tejas Mehta said in a statement. “These new device platforms are leveraging Bluetooth connectivity to open up a range of applications and use cases ranging from fitness and health tracking to proximity marketing and home automation.”

In February, Parks also reported that 5 percent of US broadband households use a smart watch that offers health and fitness tracking features and 8 percent of US broadband households use a digital pedometer or activity tracker.

Mehta pointed out at the time that unless smartwatch makers can convince consumers that these devices offer features separate from their smartphone, they won’t see adoption. 

Earlier that month, Parks released a report that found more than 40 million US smartphone owners are active users of at least one wellness or fitness app. The firm has also reported that one in four heads of household — at homes with broadband — use a mobile app to track their fitness or caloric intake.

Another Parks Associates report, from the fourth quarter of 2014, found that 7 percent of US broadband households use a GPS watch and 5 percent use a sports watch with a built-in heart rate monitor. The research firm estimates that by 2016, more than 32 million US consumers will actively track their personal health and fitness online or via mobile. By 2018, US sales of digital health devices and services will exceed $8 billion.