Key Takeaways

As the market for wearable technology has grown, so has the number of apps and functionalities available

Investors in the managed portfolio solutions offered by TD Ameritrade Investment Management, LLC can now access account info from an Apple or Android smartwatch

Just because you’re not at your desk or don’t have your phone doesn’t mean you can’t access your portfolio.

Wearable technology has become a popular way to quickly access information by simply looking at your wrist. These devices started to take off with the introduction of the Fitbit (FIT) around 2009; they mostly tracked physical activity, but since the debut of smartwatches—the Samsung Galaxy Gear in 2013 and Apple’s (AAPL) Apple Watch in 2015—demand for this sector has taken off.

According to International Data Corporation, worldwide shipments of higher-end wearables grew 28.4% in the first quarter as consumers’ preferences shift to smarter devices. Research and advisory firm Forrester estimated that the U.S. wearables market will grow from $4.8 billion in 2016 to $9 billion in 2022, representing a compound annual growth rate of 9% from 2017 to 2022. And it’s only a matter of time before we can do more—and expect more—from our wearable devices.

Omnichannel Access

We know you’re busy, and for us, it’s important you can access your account anytime and anyplace you want. With that in mind, we’ve made it easier to access your account from any device—desktop, mobile app, and now smartwatch. Investors in Essential Portfolios and Selective Portfolios, two managed portfolio solutions available from TD Ameritrade Investment Management LLC, have had on-the-go access to their portfolios via the TD Ameritrade mobile apps. Now, we’ve enabled that same functionality for Apple Watch and for all Android watches.

We hope that by providing you with portfolio access on your smartwatch, tracking your savings goals can become as habitual as tracking your fitness targets or other lifestyle goals.

All the core capabilities are available via your favorite smartwatch. Want to know your account balance? Check. Interested in your historical performance? Check. Curious where you are on reaching your goals? Check. Those are just some of the capabilities available with a few simple taps of your wearable device.

Get Started

Ready to try it out? Get started by downloading the TD Ameritrade Portfolios app. Once that’s installed, look for our icon, and you can start navigating. From there you’ll be able to access portfolio information and charts in an easy-to-read, mobile-friendly format made for viewing on a watch.

FIGURE 1: PORTFOLIOS APP—DOWNLOAD AND TAP. Today’s wearable technology allows users to track progress toward financial goals in a manner similar to that of tracking fitness goals. Image source: TD Ameritrade Portfolios app. For illustrative purposes only.  

Want to get a sense of how core capabilities look on your watch? Start by calling up a chart that shows you the progress you’ve made toward your goals—one of the most popular charts among clients. Are you on track with your short-term goals such as the purchase of a big-ticket item? What about your long-term goals such as retirement? 

In today’s market, it’s important to have information at your fingertips in an easily digestible format to reassure you about your plans or consider new actions to take in order to pursue your targets. Having this information on your smartwatch may help you make a confident decision more quickly.

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*Managed portfolios are offered by TD Ameritrade Investment Management, LLC.