More and more people - around one in four - are now turning to electronic
devices like cell phones or tablet computers to check the time, and wrist
watches may soon fall out of fashion, a study has found.
According to the Daily Mail, the percentage of people preferring to check
the time on cell phone devices has gone up from 18 per cent just a year ago.
Among people under 35, the ratio relying on digital devices for
timekeeping is even higher, at four in 10, says the study by market analysts
Mintel.
"As cell phones allow consumers to do lots of things, watches need
to become more technical and have multiple functions as well as telling the
time, such as GPS, tracker, etc" the study said.
The report, which surveyed 1,522 adults, found that in an office setting,
using a watch to tell the time is seen as looking more professional, while
taking out a cell phone in a meeting was viewed as time wasting.
The Professional Jewelers magazine said watch sales were steady in
Britain, but the market is split between cheap trendy timepieces and luxury
brands.