Teen interest in Apple Watch wanes ahead of launch, most want device for style and design

A fresh survey of U.S. teen consumers shows waning interest in Apple Watch ahead of the wearable's debut later this month, with one analyst predicting the important demographic will take a "wait and see" approach to purchasing.

In a recent Piper Jaffray survey of approximately 6,200 teens, 11 percent said they plan to purchase an Apple Watch at launch, down from 16 percent in October. Analyst Gene Munster believes purchase intent was dampened as a "killer app" or feature has yet to surface.

Interest in Apple's device appears to be higher than sector competitors, as 5 percent of respondents said they currently own a smartwatch, a number down from 7 percent in fall.

Munster expect teens to become a major market driver for Apple Watch once influencers, or celebrities, popularize the device. Apple is already getting pricey Apple Watch Edition units into the hands of high profile musicians who can all but guarantee wide exposure. Pharrell Williams last week sported a yellow gold Edition during a taping of his primetime NBC show "The Voice," while Drake popped up at Coachella on Friday wearing similar version. Both Pharrell and Drake have massive social media followings.

Looking deeper into the survey's responses, it appears Apple's aggressive marketing of Watch as fashion accessory has paid off, as 74 percent of teens listed style as the top reason for wanting the device. Following close behind with 72 percent was design, while 64 percent of teens said messaging and notification features were most important. App selection and brand recognition came in fourth and fifth with a respective 61 and 60 percent of the vote.

Beyond Watch, Munster found iPhone and iPad remained as teens' go-to smartphone and tablet selections. Survey responses showed 66 percent of teens owned an iPhone, down slightly from 67 percent in fall, but 72 percent said they plan to make Apple's device their next smartphone. For iPad, 64 percent of teens said they owned the tablet versus 66 percent in fall, with 60 percent intending to purchase a model in the future.