Smartwatch sales have skyrocketed in the first six months of 2016 while smartphone sales remained flat, according to data from analyst firm Telsyte. Here are the details.
In the first half of 2016, smartwatch sales grew by 89 per cent compared to the same period of time in 2015. More than one million smart wearable devices were sold in the first half of 2016 and smartwatches now make up one-third of that category.
Apple Watch is the number one smartwatch brand with more than 50% market share followed by Samsung Gear and Fitbit Blaze. According to Telsyte, the growth in smartwatches could be attributed to Australians focusing more on health and fitness (many are using brands like Fitbit and Garmin to track their exercise), price reduction coupled with greater availability through telco carriers, a wider variety of options and mobile contactless payment support for smartwatches.
“The killer apps for early adopters of smartwatches seem to be fitness apps and mobile payments,” Telsyte managing director Foad Fadaghi said.
Meanwhile, Australian smartphone sales only went up by 3.8 per cent compared to last year, but that may be set to change with the impending release of the Apple iPhone 7.
Are you on the smartwatch bandwagon? Were you one of the early adopters? Let us know in the comments.
Comments
10 responses to “Smartwatch Sales Go Gangbusters In Australia”
Apple Watch early adopter here; had my Apple Watch Sport as soon as it came out.
Love it.
I’ve been avoiding wearables for so long and I’m finally getting a Pebble. I’ll report on how it goes…
I’m curious to know why you decided to buy the Apple Watch early and what you like about it! 🙂
I have a Pebble Time. I tried a few Android Wear watches too but the Pebble is better. I hope you write up a little article about it.
Honestly, I just wanted one! I am firmly stuck in the Apple ecosystem for the moment, I wanted a wearable, and when Apple announced theirs I was sold. When they announced their pricing I baulked, but then I had bit of a windfall so treated myself (to the cheapest option).
As for what I like about it: the cool charging, the convenience, the tracking, the future possibility of Apple Pay…
Some thoughts:
https://amomentworth.com/2016/04/21/thoughts-on-my-apple-watch/
Been using a Fitbit Blaze since release. Does exactly as I need, but do wish they would improve the device via software updates. Let’s hope the second generation Blaze improves on tiny areas.
Love my Apple Watch, but very disappointed by how easily the sport model scratches.
I wear an original pebble for work and then a Garmin Fenix 3 the rest of the time. Personally, I think these do just enough for me without being a phone replacement on my wrist. More importantly, they don’t require charging anywhere near as much as most other smartwatches and are actually waterproof, not resistant. I could never get a watch that’s not fully swimming waterproof. I certainly don’t think there is a smartwatch out there that matches the fitness capabilities of a dedicated fitness device from someone like Garmin, Suunto and Polar.
I got a Samsung Gear S2 on day one, love it. Its not a necessary device to have, but man its convenient. Its the small things, like feeling a buzz when a message or notification comes through, and being able to just glance at the watch to know whether its something I need to handle or not, or just the pedometer being a couple of clicks away from seeing how I’m going for the day.
Its a convenience though, and not a must have product, not by a long shot. But I do know plenty of others that are eyeing off smartwatches of various levels this year, and almost without fail they are getting them for health reasons. Tracking their exercise or steps or something like that, and combining it with the watch functionality. So fitbits are popping up everywhere.
ITs also a great conversation starter…
Early adopter Moto 360. Soon upgrading to Huawei. They are by far the best looking of the smart watch group as of now though unsurprisingly most others are going the round face route. Good move, square is just not good looking.
Early adopter Moto 360. Soon upgrading to Huawei. They are by far the best looking of the smart watch group as of now though unsurprisingly most others are going the round face route. Good move, square is just not good looking.