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US teens report claims almost a third own an Apple Watch

A new US teens report from investment banking giant Piper Sandler claims that almost a third of them now own an Apple Watch. It follows a New York Times report about parents buying Apple’s wearable for kids as young as five …

The latest twice-yearly Taking Stock With Teens report says that 31% of US teens currently own an Apple Watch, and a further 16% plan to buy one.

Philip Elmer-DeWitt, who read the latest report, says that the survey is a comprehensive one, but he doubts that it’s truly representative.

My take: In its 21st year, this comprehensive survey continues to oversample North America’s well-heeled suburbs. It’s best for capturing trends.

That does seem likely, as 31% would be a huge proportion of all US teens.

The same report says that 87% of American teens own an iPhone, and 88% expect to buy [another] one as their next phone.

It’s certainly likely to be true that among those who wear a smart watch at all, there’s a high chance that it’s an Apple Watch. A recent report showed that Apple’s wearable continues to dominate the market, selling more than three times as many watches as the company’s nearest competitor, Samsung.

Apple’s position has likely been strengthened by last month’s launch of the SE 2. With a starting price of $249, the same processor as the Series 8, and inclusion of the new Crash Detection and Emergency SOS features, the model is likely to prove a popular one for parents to buy for their kids.

Many parents consider that an Apple Watch offers a good balance of safety and price, offering a means of tracking their kids and (with the cellular model) giving them the ability to make and receive calls and messages without the expense and risks of an iPhone.

Apple’s Family Setup feature makes it easier for parents to equip their kids with Apple Watches, and we recently provided some tips for those who want to go this route.

Older teens are more likely to own iPhones, but it’s not hard to see how many of them would press their parents to buy them an Apple Watch too.

If you’re a parent, have you bought your kids an Apple Watch? Please share in the comments.

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Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Ben Lovejoy

Ben Lovejoy is a British technology writer and EU Editor for 9to5Mac. He’s known for his op-eds and diary pieces, exploring his experience of Apple products over time, for a more rounded review. He also writes fiction, with two technothriller novels, a couple of SF shorts and a rom-com!


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