Apple Watch is finally starting to face some bigger competition from rival smartwatch-makers, based on the latest data from Canalys.
Fitbit and Garmin are capitalizing on the wearables trend and diversifying their lineups to appeal to specific use cases. As a result, Apple Watch’s market share shrunk even though it sold more watches in Q2 2018 than it did during the same period last year.
Photo: Canalys
According to Canalys’ data, Apple Watch sales were up 30% in Q2 2018, compared to the same quarter last year. The company sold an estimated 3.5 million units. However, its market share slipped from 34% from the 43% mark it set in Q1 2018.
Apple Watch on the rise
“Apple’s decision to expand internationally with operators has quickly reaped rewards in Asia Pacific,” said Canalys senior analyst Jason Low. “Operators in Australia, Japan and Singapore are willing to resell connected devices other than smartphones that can help them generate extra revenue from data services.”
Apple Watch shipments in Asia surpassed 250,000 units last quarter. The LTE version made up about 60% of those sales.
Consumers have more smartwatch options to choose from now than they did a year ago. Manufacturers are adding advanced heart-rate metrics, fitness coaching, mapping and more to compete with Apple Watch. Canalys estimates that 10 million units were shipped worldwide in Q2.
Rivals may have a hard time keeping up with Apple Watch though. Apple is expected to unveil the Apple Watch Series 4 later this year. New features will likely include a bigger display, better battery life and improved health monitoring features.
