While the world lamented the death of the headphone jack during Wednesday’s Apple Event, I was wondering about fads. From the Pet Rock to Furby, I was under the belief that trends come and go, rarely staying around past a holiday season.
I was skeptical when Apple announced Pokemon Go’s integration with its watch. Pokemon Go seems like a fad. Apple Watch is for fit, healthy Dads who casually a run 10k each morning and don’t want to look at their phone for notifications. Pokemon Go is for people who enjoy hurling toy balls at invisible things while they walk through moving traffic.
Is there enough of an intersection in these two groups to make the partnership a success? CivicScience asked the questions “How interested are you in purchasing an Apple Watch?” and “Have you played Pokémon Go?”
I’m surprised. 36% of those who are interested in buying an Apple Watch are Pokemon Go players. That’s more than I was expecting.
When I looked into age demographics for both questions, I was once again surprised. 31% of people interested in buying an Apple Watch are under the age of 35. That’s a much younger demographic than expected. Similarly, 35 and under players make up 31% of Pokemon Go’s users. Both these groups are young, early adopters with an interest in social media and tech.
Judging by the market, it looks like others were thinking ahead. When Apple announced its partnership with Nintendo on Wednesday afternoon, the gaming company’s stock jumped up 23%.
Apple Watch’s integration with Pokemon Go could drum up consumer interest from a younger audience who is more gamer friendly than tech and fitness driven. Considering the other features announced for the Apple Watch, Apple is expanding its smartwatch beyond the niche group to catch a new demographic.
