A market that has stuttered in the past now has a bright forecast as adoption of wearable technology continues to thrive.

If you are new the to the world of wearables you might be wondering if Fitbit’s new offering is a good first step. Maybe I can help with that.

Gartner says shipments of wearables will reach 225 million in 2019, with spending hitting US$42b, with smartwatches still taking the lion’s share.

CIOs always need to be on the lookout for the next wave of technology. Gartner has outlined seven tech trends that we should keep an eye on.

Apple’s share of the market continues to grow along with Chinese competitors Xiaomi and Huawei. Fitbit still in decline.

There is significant opportunity for growth in clinically validated, yet user-friendly wearables to aid individuals manage such ailments.

The worldwide wearables market is forecast to ship 124.9 million units by the end of 2018, up 8.2% from the prior year.

Canalys says wearable band shipments grew 35 percent from the year before with a two horse race at the front & fierce competition behind.

It’s been hyped about for years, but according to IDC smartwatches are finally beginning to make an impact on the wearables market.

The worldwide wearables market continued its upward trajectory in the final quarter of 2017 with full year shipment volumes reaching new records.

Q4 2017 shipments grew by more than 32% over Q4 2016, the highest ever number of shipments in a single quarter for any wearable vendor.

IDC forecasts vendors will ship a total of 121.7 million wearable devices this year alone, a whopping 16.6 percent increase last year's efforts.

While basic wearables declined 0.9 percent during the quarter, smartwatches skyrocketed 60.9 percent - a trend that is expected to continue.

Apple has fallen to third place in the market, overtaken by both Xiaomi and Fitbit - despite the latter experiencing a 34% year-on-year decline.

The worldwide wearables market continued its rapid rise in the first quarter of 2017 (1Q17) with multiple companies experiencing triple digit growth.

The handbags feature wireless smart device charging, bio-lock security, Bluetooth proximity alerts, and enough organization to rival a mobile office.

"NEC is aiming to commercialize hearable platform services that combine individual authentication, indoor positioning & acoustic AR by 2018."

​While many may think the wearables market is a dwindling one, it is actually quite healthy - a change of focus has been put down as the cause.

As long as a device can be connected to the web or other devices and isn’t secured, it can be accessed stealthily and used to a criminal’s advantage.

“To offer a compelling enough value proposition, the uses for wearable devices need to be distinct from what smartphones typically provide."

"Simplicity is a driving factor and this is well reflected in the top vendor list as four out of five offer a simple, dedicated fitness device."

Apple and Samsung remain on top, while LG, Panasonic, Sony and The Warehouse's Veon proving popular with Kiwi consumers.

"Last year, we said digital changes were coming fast. This year the acceleration continues and may have wide-ranging impact on people and technology."

I highly recommend it for those looking to get more out of their fitness trackers, but don't to step into the world of a smart watch just yet.