The Apple Watch will ship 15 million units worldwide in 2015, according to research from independent research and consulting firm Strategy Analytics.
Apple’s latest product launch, which is the talk of the watch industry after its Spring Forward event on Monday night, is predicted to quickly become the world’s number one smartwatch vendor with 55% global market share this year.
Cliff Raskind, Director at Strategy Analytics, said, “We forecast total global smartwatch shipments to grow 511% from 4.6 million units in 2014 to 28.1 million units in 2015. Most of the smartwatch growth will come from the new Apple Watch, which we forecast to ship 15.4 million units worldwide in 2015."
“The Apple Watch is the catalyst to ignite the global smartwatch market," added Neil Mawston, Executive Director at Strategy Analytics. "Apple’s famous brand, loyal fan base, deep retail presence and extensive apps ecosystem will ensure healthy uptake for its watch."
Mawston did add a word of caution, however. "Apple’s first-generation watch is not yet perfect. For example, Apple’s Watch hardware design is arguably less attractive than some rival models such as the Huawei Watch, battery life may not be as long as many traditional wristwatch owners are used to, and Apple’s premium pricing may be challenging for mass-market consumers."
