No doubt due to the steadily increasing popularity of its Apple Watch offering, Apple has surged to the top of the global wearables market, comfortably leading over its rivals, which include former industry leader Fitbit and Chinese tech giant Xiaomi, at least according to new information provided by research firm IDC.
As explained by Ramon T. Llamas, the research director for the wearables team at IDC, Apple is in an enviable position to capitalize on the improving demand for wearable devices, particularly smartwatches. For one, the tech giant has made a huge step in the right direction by pursuing cellular connectivity capabilities with the release of its Apple Watch Series 3 back in September of last year. Not only has this move paved the way for the iPhone maker to lead the world of wearables, but it has also served as a precedent for other brands and gadget makers to follow, which can only bode well for the industry. With wearable devices beginning to get LTE connectivity, prospective buyers now have an extra reason to start purchasing not only the Apple Watch, but other wearables of different make and model as well.
IDC’s report also pointed out that despite the fact that 2017 saw a 10.3 percent growth in the global wearables market, that growth actually represents a decrease for the industry, which registered a worldwide improvement of 27.3 percent for 2016. According to Llamas, the decline in growth may have a connection with the significant number of device manufacturers choosing to leave the wearables business. But he also noted that new gadget makers and models have since replace those who left.
As for Apple, the brand is certainly deserving of the throne. Less than a month ago, new data from another research firm, Canalys, showed that Apple had posted a new quarterly shipments record in the wearable industry, with a total volume of 8 million units of its Apple Watch shipped during the final three months of last year.
Apple had been closely trailing Xiaomi and Fitbit during the past year or so before taking the lead in Q4 2017. And there is plenty of evidence that the tech giant will not relinquish its number one spot anytime soon. By shipping 8 million units of its Apple Watch during the fourth quarter of last year, the company saw its shipments improve 57.5 percent compared to the previous year’s, allowing it to capture a commanding 21 percent share of the market.
