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What are the most significant innovations and market trends impacting (or threatening) the baby sleep tracking app and baby sleep solutions industry?
Hello, and thanks for your question about the most significant innovations and market trends impacting (or threatening) the baby sleep tracking app and baby sleep solutions industry. I have found that there are several trends impacting on this market, such as tech that mimics natural sleep solution methods; using neuroscience research; combining sleep solutions with other functions; use of music and data. Below you will find a deep dive into my research, along with all the details as to how I came to this conclusion.
OVERVIEW
The the sleep device market was worth $97 million in 2014 (last year I found this available for), and the infant sleep industry is worth around $325 million in 2016. This shows that there is a big potential market out there for baby sleep apps and solutions.
In order to answer your question I first searched for specific articles/reports talking about innovations and market trends impacting (or threatening) the baby sleep tracking app and baby sleep solutions industry. For example, I searched through websites dedicated to this field, such as Sleep Review, Baby Sleep, and Parents. I also looked through research on resources such as the Pediatric Sleep Council, and the Juvenile Products Manufacturing Association.
However, I found that there were no such articles, and I believe that this is because the industry is probably emerging (for example I found these articles here and here to explain that there has been a sudden boom in companies using tech to design apps and solutions to aid sleep), or is a segment of a larger industry. On finding that the baby sleep solutions market is not a distinct market, I decided to look at the general baby market for any trends mentioned about sleep, for example this article here illustrates the top 5 trends impacting on the entire baby market, however there were no mention of sleep apps/solutions here.
So in order to identify significant innovations and market trends impacting (or threatening) the baby sleep tracking app and baby sleep solutions industry I have found a couple of lists of top apps/solutions and reviewed the items in order to decipher what trends are occurring in this space.
TRENDS
- Tech that mimics natural sleep solution methods:
In reviewing a number of best sleep solutions/apps I found that technologies that mimic natural sleep solution methods, such as having functions to record the mother's voice are popular amongst those considered best. For example, Baby Shusher will shush your baby so you can rest, Baby Sleep Care Pro allows you to record your own voice that the app will play back, and Baby Snooze mimics "a steady heartbeat and low-frequency whooshing and rumbling."
- Using neuroscience research:
AmbiScience Sleep Aid for Children for example have designed an app that "mixes two tones (or binaural beats) that are sent to each ear; the mix creates a pulsating effect and a frequency that will signal brain waves to slow down and relax. The app also sends a single pulsating tone (an isochronic beat) that may induce meditation." Apps are beginning to look to scientific research on sleep in order to allow them to design apps that have scientific backing.
- Combining sleep solutions with other functions:
We all know that we have a plethora of apps installed on our phones at any given time. So it is not surprising that there is a trend for baby sleeps apps to have cottoned on to the idea of combining functions of several apps into one. For example, Baby Monitor 3G also works as a baby monitor as well as a sleep aid, and Cozi Family Organiser works as a complete family planner.
- Use of music:
A number of top sleep solutions are utilising music to help babies drift of to sleep. Sleeping Genius Baby and Total Baby are examples of those embracing this trend.
- Data:
Parents are becoming more and more interested in data, and apps are responding to this interest. Adults of this generation are used to apps and gadgets that collect data, such as those we use to track our activity and other health info such as with FitBit, so it's no surprise that this generation of parents are seeking the same sort of tools when it comes to looking after their kids. Parents are seeing a trend in sleep apps and solutions that are able to collect data from their babies, such as tracking their movements to record their sleep patterns, in order to help them help their children to sleep better. Johnson and Johnson are one such brand who have made an app like this.
CONCLUSION
Overall, I have found that there are several trends impacting on this market, such as tech that mimics natural sleep solution methods; using neuroscience research; combining sleep solutions with other functions; use of music and data.
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