In its latest research, Wearables May 15, UK digital research specialist Clicked has identified an evolution in the use of smart watches.

Its latest analysis, based on over 2,000 quantitative interviews and qualitative in-situ depth interviews, was intended to understand why consumers might want a smart watch, when they have a smartphone that provides the same functions, but more easily.

Clicked’s research suggests that behaviour of the smartwatch user is evolving, indicating a divergence in the role of a smartwatch vs. a smartphone. A big indicator of this divergence is that users of smartwatches look at their smartphones less often – the convenience of glancing at the wrist for notifications means they are spending less time looking at the smartphone screen.

Stephen Mellor, MD and founder of Clicked, says, “Smartwatch usage has not replaced the smartphone and we didn’t expect it to. But we’ve heard how the smartphone has remained in the handbag all day since the smartwatch was acquired. Many users tell us that the smartwatch compliments the smartphone, providing them with greater convenience and security”.

This suggests that the role of the smartwatch in providing greater convenience is a core issue for device manufacturers to communicate, but more importantly, it suggests a behaviour change in usage of smartphones.

This notion of convenience is core to the role of Smartwatches and Activity Trackers. Clicked research suggests that with time pressured lives so common, the idea of wearable devices providing meaningful benefits is becoming a more interesting proposition for UK people.

Mellor says, “There’s much more knowledge amongst consumers than 6 months ago. Of the 39 benefits (apps) of owning a wearable device that we track, we’ve seen rises in extreme interest for 37 of them. We attribute this to an increase in awareness, knowledge and excitement within the category”.

However, this increased knowledge has resulted in an increase in resistance to purchasing a wearable device. Barriers to purchasing wearables have risen since the last wave 6 months ago, with worries about data access and security breaches increasing for potential owners.