Sensors and Actuators for Wearables 2025

Report objectives

This report is an update of Yole Intelligence’s report “Sensors and Actuators for Wearables 2023”; the report was first released in 2015.

This new version provides:

• The latest updates on Sensors & Actuators for Wearables volumes and revenues for calendar 2024. It provides an overview of the best future growth opportunities for wearables, along with the key drivers of the market.
• It explores the ecosystem development product-wise and funding-wise and details the main stakeholders involved. In addition, a detailed analysis of the Sensors’ & Actuators’ market shares and the end-system business analysis are also provided.
• A broad overview of the technology trends from first-level packaged devices to modules integrated into wearable applications.
• This report thoroughly summarizes the 2024 Sensors and Actuators wearables market, considering the trends for each device/application. The report was finalized in December 2024.
  

Key Features 

• Market segmentation, data, and forecasts for 2024 - 2030, by end-systems and at the sensors and actuators level, in units and dollars.
• A detailed explanation of current and future market trends, covering several main wearables end-systems is provided.
• Last two years market shares at the sensors and actuators level, explaining the dynamics.
• Fundraising and M&A analysis to help understand the ecosystem’s dynamics.
• Description of the supply chain involving various players.
• Technology trends at the sensors and actuators level, along with roadmaps.

What’s new

Updated report with an aditionnal analysis of processor evolution for wearables and key trends in edge computing provided.

Sensor's makers opportunities in the wearables market

The wearable market represents 1.2 billion units shipped in 2024, projected to reach 1.7 billion by 2030 (6% CAGR). Sensor and actuator shipments totaled 5 billion units in 2024, expected to grow to 8.6 billion units by 2030 (9% CAGR). Consumer wearables dominate, driven by trends in healthcare, fitness, and AR. Key devices include smartwatches, fitness bands, and TWS systems, with pressure sensors, IMUs, and microphones widely integrated.
Medical wearables (e.g., CGM devices, hearing aids) target healthcare cost reduction and remote monitoring, with MEMS pressure sensors and PPG modules generating significant revenue.
Industrial applications, boosted by Industry 4.0 and 5G, focus on employee wellness and task guidance, featuring IMUs, microphones, and eCompass sensors.
Future growth areas include hearables, non-invasive glucose monitoring, and AR/VR headsets, highlighting the importance of combining design, functionality, and user experience.

A wearables market driving growth in a flat consumer market

The wearable sensor and actuator market is dominated by 10 players, accounting for 73% of its value. Bosch leads with a 25% consumer market share and 14% in the medical segment, while Knowles dominates the medical market with a 24% share, focusing on high-value MEMS microphones for hearing aids. In the consumer sector, Bosch and STMicroelectronics excel with inertial sensors for smartwatches and earbuds.
Key drivers in the market include advancements in MEMS microspeakers, AI/ML integration at the sensor level, and 300mm fab development to scale production, which pressures ASPs. Fundraising for non-invasive glucose monitoring is growing, and 2024 marked a pivotal year with Samsung's entry into the smart ring market and MEMS microspeakers gaining traction in TWS earbuds. Companies like Meta and Snap also showcased advanced AR headsets, unlocking new opportunities. AI continues to expand wearables' functionality by providing deeper insights without additional hardware.

A smarter world with wearables at its core

Wearables aim to enhance user awareness of health, sleep, and wellness using biosensing data and AI insights to empower lifestyle changes. Sensor manufacturers like Bosch, STMicroelectronics, and Knowles are innovating by embedding AI/ML into MEMS sensors, enabling energy-efficient, always-on functionality. Consumer systems from Apple, Fitbit, and Samsung meet medical standards for even more biosignal detection (e.g., ECG, atrial fibrillation), reflecting advances in sensor accuracy and software.
Key trends include enhanced sensor fusion for better performance (e.g., integrating PPG with ECG and IMU), accelerated development of noninvasive glucose monitoring technologies, and growth in AR/VR wearables, creating new sensor opportunities. The market is consolidating around main form factors (watches, rings, patches), with AI-driven software improvements expected to expand sensor capabilities, particularly through integrated computing in-package.

Glossary
Table of contents
Identity card
Report objectives
Scope of the report
Methodologies & definition
About the authors
Companies cited
Historical forecast
What we got right, what we got wrong
3-page summary
Executive summary
Context
Market forecasts
- Wearable systems market forecasts
- Sensors & Actuators for Wearables - General overview
- Sensors & Actuators for Consumer Wearables
- Sensors & Actuators for Medical Wearables
- Sensors & Actuators for Industrial Wearables
- Conclusions
Market trends
- Consumer Market Trends
- Consumer wearables and healthcare regulations
- Medical Market Trends
- Industrial Market Trends
- Market Trends – Conclusions
Market shares & supply chain
Technology trends
- Trends at First Level Packaging
- Trends at the Module Level
- Processing trends in Wearables
Conclusion & Outlook
Yole Group Related Products
How to use our data?
About Yole group

AAC Technologies, Abbott, Aerbetic, AKM, Aktiia, Alibaba, Alio, Amplifon, Amazon, ams OSRAM, Analog Devices, Anker, Apple, Arioso, Atmel, Avao, Ava Women, Azoteq, BACtrack, Becton Dickinson, Beurer, BioIntelliSense, Biolinq, BioSency, Bosch, Bose, CardieX, Cardiosense, CareWear, Catapult, Cefaly, Cnick, Contec, Corsano +, Cosinuss, Circular, Demant, Dexcom, Diamontech, DPVR, Empatica, Epicare Biosystems, Epistar, Epson, Fitbit, Garmin, Goertek (Goermicro), Goodix, Google, Happy Ring, Hexoskin, Honeywell, Huawei, HTC, IBM, Infineon Technologies, Jaybird, JBL, JRC, Kionix, Lenovo, Levels, Lexie, Lucid Hearing, Magic Leap, Masimo, Maxim, McLear, MediThinQ, Medtronic, MEMSensing, MEMSIC, Meta, Microlife, Microsoft, Minebea Mitsumi (ex-OMRON), MiraMEMS, Mojo Vision, Motiv, Movano Health, Movosense, muRata, Nerivio, Neuranics, Nix, Nonin, Nutromics, NVK, Omron, Oppo, Oracle, Orii, Osso, Oura Health, OQmented, Philips Healthcare, Pison, Pixart, Playstation, Qardio, Qorvo, Resound, Qualcomm, Quantum Operation, Realwear, Reveal biosensors, Riester, Roche, Rockley Photonics, ROHM semiconductor, RSP systems, Samsung, Screentec, Sequent, Syntiant(ex. Knowles Electronics), Silicon Labs, Skylabs, Sleepon, Sonion, Sonova, Sony, Starkey, STMicroelectronics, Supersapiens, TDK Group, TDK Invensense, TDK Tronics, TE Connectivity, Teledyne, Texas Instruments, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Touchence, TSMC, Upright, Usound, Valencell, Veepoo, Vesper, Vishay, VitalConnect, VitalSpex, Vuzix, Whoop, Withings, WSAudiology, Xiaomi, xMEMS, and more.