Apple accounted for one in every two smart watch purchases made in 2015, new figures reveal.
Although a relative latecomer to the wearables market, the California tech giant has garnered an astonishing 52% of the global market since the launch of its much-hyped Apple Watch.
Juniper Research, which released the data, noted that Apple’s dominance last year was “even more impressive” given that it only launched the line in April, meaning it rose to leadership position without even completing a full year’s sales.
Rival smartwatch platform Android Wear swallowed up 10% of the market even though its technology is the backbone for watches made by the likes of Fossil, Sony, Huawei and LG.
Most other smartwatch sales are currently coming from cheaper, simpler devices from a range of smaller players, such as Martian, X and Razer, Juniper said.
While Apple appears to already hold an unassailable lead, Juniper insists the smartwatch sector is still a maturing market and therefore plenty of factors could determine the long-term winners and losers.
“The smartwatch is now a category waiting for a market,” said Juniper research analyst James Moar. “Newer devices have offered more polished looks and subtly different functions, but no large changes in device capabilities or usage. With smartwatch functions established, it is now up to consumers to decide if they want them, rather than technology companies providing more reasons.”
