Fitness, mHealth device users to reach nearly 100M by 2018 

A report from Juniper Research forecasts that over the next five years there will be 96 million users of app-enabled mHealth and mobile-fitness hardware devices, up from 15 million in 2013, according to an announcement from the research firm.

The report projects that the mFitness sector, which will experience the strongest growth in the short and medium term, will lead the way "driven by a motivated target market, an increasing demand for lifestyle consumer applications and a diversifying array of attachments." Though app-enabled mFitness will "reach maturity much more quickly than smartphone-based mHealth," it represents a "much smaller market in terms of both users and revenues," states the announcement.

"As mobile fitness devices become more widespread, they will pave the way for more critical mHealth services delivered through the smartphone," the report's author Anthony Cox writes in a statement. "While mHealth and mobile fitness are two discrete markets--with divergent audiences--increased usage of the former will stimulate wider awareness of the latter."

Among the other findings of the report, Juniper estimates cumulative cost savings from remote patient monitoring of up to $35 billion globally over the next five years as the healthcare industry moves towards accountable care. In addition, the research firm argues that the aging populations and the increased prevalence of chronic disease is forcing healthcare stakeholders to reconsider how healthcare is addressed in both developing and developed markets.

"Even though remote patient monitoring, particularly for chronic diseases, is still at a very early stage in the development cycle, it fits well with new healthcare practices and the goal of keeping patients out of hospital," states a July 2013 Juniper Research report, which concluded that Western Europe will be the most promising new market for cardiac outpatient monitoring after the U.S. as partnerships emerge for its provision in the region.

To learn more:
- read the announcement