Wearables, Cars Driving High Levels of Digital ‘Connectedness’ in Canada

North America is second only to Hong Kong when it comes to the “connectedness” of its consumers.

According to the GfK Connected Consumer Index, a ranking of 78 countries and eight world regions, North America’s index score grew by almost 12% between 2015 and 2016, gaining significant ground on Hong Kong, a digital leader that has held first place for the last two years. Interestingly, people in the United Arab Emirates are fast closing in on that lead, jumping from eighth place in 2015 to a forecasted third place this year.

When looking at specific devices for connectivity, North America tops the list for the use of Desk PC and TV Set-Top Box devices and also ranks within the top five for the use of e-Readers, connected cars and smart homes.

“For developed markets, primarily Western Europe and North America (Canada, US and Mexico), the growth drivers have already moved to the next wave of consumer connectivity,” says Kevin Walsh, Director of Trends and Forecasting at GfK. “Wearables are leading the way, together with connected cars – and both these are providing new consumer benefits. Smart home technology is an equally significant opportunity, but expected to be slower and steadier in terms of the consumer adoption curve.”