The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) has credited smartwatches with helping drive an increase in consumer confidence towards technology spending in its latest data on the US economy.Both the CEA Index of Consumer Technology Expectations (ICTE), measuring consumer expectations about technology spending, and the CEA Index of Consumer Expectations (ICE), measuring consumer sentiment about the US economy as a whole, rose during the month.
The ICTE increased by 1.2 points to 87.8, while the ICE rose by two points to 175.7.
“The slight uptick in consumer attitudes toward technology spending is likely due, in part, to enthusiasm around shipments in the smartwatch category,” Shawn DuBravac, CEA chief economist, commented.
DuBravac noted that, following a slow start to the year, the “economy continues to edge forward”.
“I expect the economy will continue to pick up in the back half of the year given continuing encouraging employment news and increases in sales of existing homes,” he commented.
