Smartwatches have been a topic of debate amongst critics since their inception. The hyped product hasn’t exactly reached the popularity like its smartphone relative and people are starting to question its role in today’s society. Recently, reports have shown that Apple has blown some life into this supposed fluke of a trend. Sales of the smartwatch in 2015 are up, and the numbers are blowing Samsung and Pebble out of the competition.
APPLE DOMINATES TWO-THIRDS OF THE SMARTWATCH MARKET
A financial forecast in November has estimated that Apple shipped approximately 12 million smartwatches in 2015 with 5 million coming over the holiday period alone. This statistics is overwhelmingly ahead of other smartwatch competitors, Samsung, and Pebble. That being said, another set of data gives us far different numbers. One report estimates Apple sold 30.32 million watches last year with a predicted growth of another 30 million in 2017. Despite the wide range of data, it’s quite obvious to see who’s dominating the market.
WHY SAMSUNG IS FALLING BEHIND
The results of the smartwatch competition shouldn’t come as much of a surprise. Neither Samsung nor its competitors are doing anything particularly groundbreaking when it comes to their approach. Samsung is putting out a fine product with the Gear S, but it is falling behind to Apple. People are buying smartwatches for the same reason they are buying Macbooks and iPhones. They want something trendy, thin, flashy and easy to use. Not to say the Gear S doesn’t meet this requirement. It does, just not as well. This formula has worked since the first generation iPod came out, and it will continue to be a successful formula to lure in casual consumers.
PEBBLE UNAFFECTED BY COMPETITION
Despite their place in the race to the top, Pebble seems relatively unfazed by their competition. According to them, their sales have not been affected by the likes of Samsung or Apple. What Pebble seems to realize is that they are not in the luxury end of the market like some other companies. They have recognized their place as a high-quality, but cheaper alternative targeted more towards fun than business. That being said, Pebble still hasn’t seen the massive success others have, but the smartwatch industry is young and liable to change.
