Report Claims Apple Ships 3.6M Smartwatches
Usually the first to toot its own horn, Apple has remained mum on exactly how many units of its smartwatch have been sold since the device went on sale earlier this year. Now a new report sheds some light on how well the Apple Watch has done in its first few months on the market.
A new report from analysts at International Data Corp. claims that Apple shipped 3.6 million smartwatches in the last quarter. This figure is higher than estimated by other analysts and enough to overtake former leader in the smartwatch market FitBit.
This report does not bode well for the makers of fitness bands and would suggest that consumers are turning instead to the type of devices that can perform a variety of functions. A IDC’s Ramon Llamas told CBS News, “People want to get more out of their devices. It’s kind of like the way smartphones overtook basic phones.”
On the other hand, this is promising news for the tech companies and makers of traditional watches that have their own wearable devices coming out in the next few months. Unfortunately, it’s still a mystery what the majority of smartwatch buyers are looking for when they shop for a new device. That’s something that will have to be determined by the sales figures for the new crop of smartwatches being launched in time for the lucrative holiday shopping season.
How can the makers of fitness bands compete with the Apple Watch and other competitors? Probably by either making their devices more versatile or by offering the same products at lower prices. Making them more stylish might help, too.
The market for wearables is a new frontier for everyone involved and it will be very interesting to see how this new category of devices evolves to meet the demands of buyers.
