Russian Market for Fitness Wearables Growing, but Jawbone Dominates
Moscow residents are embracing the trend for wearable fitness trackers, but while there is no shortage of options on the market, there are only a handful of gadgets that Russian consumers trust
Aug 13, 2015
Anton Panteleev, head of PR at electronics chain M-Video, told the Moscow Times that over 85 percent of all sales in the sector come from Jawbone models. Panteleev chalks up the success of these fitness trackers to the company's strong marketing efforts and the attractiveness of the product, which comes in more color options than its competitors.
The dominance of Jawbone in the market is also apparent among customers of the Eldorado electronics chain. Eldorado representative Elena says Jawbone was the "pioneer" of the products in the Russian market, and she attributes the company's popularity in part to its early start here as well as its comprehensive app, which is available for both iOS and Android. The gadget also has a very easy-to-use interface, and includes the fairly innovative "smart alarm," which allows the the device to detect a wearer's sleep cycles to wake him up at the best moment.
According to M-Video, the companies competing in this marketplace are targeting their products for particular audiences. For example, Garmin users tend to be more athletic with a preference for extreme sports; they also like to travel. Jawbone, on the other hand, is the choice for young fashionistas and those who want to incorporate healthy changes into their regular lifestyle. It also tends to appeal to urbanites.
Customer reviews from fitness-gadget.ru and svyaznoy.ru also indicate the popularity of Jawbone. The company's fitness trackers appear as the top choice on the site among reviewed trackers, although they only get 3 out of 5 stars from users. Criticisms include the absence of instructions in Russian, complete reliance on smartphone app for some of the options, crashes after software updates and lack of a water-resistant feature. On the positive side, Jawbone remains top-rated for its design and battery life.
The iHealth wireless activity and sleep tracker is also rated lower for its English-only interface design, a lack of Android platform and problems with the software updates.
Surprisingly, less popular models enjoy higher reviews, including the Prestigio Smart Wrist Pedometer and Fitbug Orb, both of which rated 4 out of 5 on average. Both products are commended for their stylish look, although the Prestigio only comes in black and neither works as a watch.
The long-awaited Nike fitness tracker is rated low on its design. Users have complained about the band catching onto things, easily collecting dirt and lacking versatility (it apparently only looks good with workout clothes).
Statistics provided by M-video and Eldorado show that the most popular trackers at the moment on the Russian market still remain those produced by A-list brands like Jawbone, Samsung and Sony, but lesser known firms are rising up in the charts.
The market is also becoming increasingly more personalized, with a clearer recognition of different physical activities and individual recommendations to users. "It is expected that by the end of the year, all known smartphone issuers will have their own fitness gadgets," said M-Video's Panteleev.
The dominance of Jawbone in the market is also apparent among customers of the Eldorado electronics chain. Eldorado representative Elena says Jawbone was the "pioneer" of the products in the Russian market, and she attributes the company's popularity in part to its early start here as well as its comprehensive app, which is available for both iOS and Android. The gadget also has a very easy-to-use interface, and includes the fairly innovative "smart alarm," which allows the the device to detect a wearer's sleep cycles to wake him up at the best moment.
According to M-Video, the companies competing in this marketplace are targeting their products for particular audiences. For example, Garmin users tend to be more athletic with a preference for extreme sports; they also like to travel. Jawbone, on the other hand, is the choice for young fashionistas and those who want to incorporate healthy changes into their regular lifestyle. It also tends to appeal to urbanites.
Customer reviews from fitness-gadget.ru and svyaznoy.ru also indicate the popularity of Jawbone. The company's fitness trackers appear as the top choice on the site among reviewed trackers, although they only get 3 out of 5 stars from users. Criticisms include the absence of instructions in Russian, complete reliance on smartphone app for some of the options, crashes after software updates and lack of a water-resistant feature. On the positive side, Jawbone remains top-rated for its design and battery life.
The iHealth wireless activity and sleep tracker is also rated lower for its English-only interface design, a lack of Android platform and problems with the software updates.
Surprisingly, less popular models enjoy higher reviews, including the Prestigio Smart Wrist Pedometer and Fitbug Orb, both of which rated 4 out of 5 on average. Both products are commended for their stylish look, although the Prestigio only comes in black and neither works as a watch.
The long-awaited Nike fitness tracker is rated low on its design. Users have complained about the band catching onto things, easily collecting dirt and lacking versatility (it apparently only looks good with workout clothes).
Statistics provided by M-video and Eldorado show that the most popular trackers at the moment on the Russian market still remain those produced by A-list brands like Jawbone, Samsung and Sony, but lesser known firms are rising up in the charts.
The market is also becoming increasingly more personalized, with a clearer recognition of different physical activities and individual recommendations to users. "It is expected that by the end of the year, all known smartphone issuers will have their own fitness gadgets," said M-Video's Panteleev.