Apple Watch Dominated Sales of All Wearables Last Quarter

Apple shipped 3.5 million Apple Watches during the first quarter of 2017, according to data collected by market research firm, Strategy Analytics. Notably, that’s about 59% more Apple Watches than the roughly 2.2 million shipped during the same quarter last year. And unsurprisingly, Apple Watch captured 16% of the overall wearables market share effectively stealing the “wearables crown” from FitBit.

In comparison, FitBit shipped only 2.9 million devices in the first quarter of 2017, which is down 36% from the roughly 4.5 million it shipped during the first quarter of last year. Whereas Apple’s one and only wearable is the Apple Watch, FitBit manufactures an array of fitness-minded body monitoring sport bands. And while FitBit has yet to release a fully-fledged Apple Watch competitor, devices like the FitBit Blaze have embodied a decent attempt. Largely, however, Fitbit has struggled to keep pace with actual smartwatch-makers like Apple and Xiaomi, who both sold more wearables last quarter.

Apple Watch Gains Momentum

During its second quarter conference call on Tuesday, Apple’s Chief Executive, Tim Cook, revealed that while his firm had fallen short of selling as many iPhones as analysts had predicted, the company’s Watch and TV sales, specifically, have nearly doubled since last year. To that end, Strategy Analytics executive director, Neil Mawston, indicated in his report that Apple Watch Series 2 has been “selling quite well,” due in part to what he says is a combination of “enhanced styling, intensive marketing and a good retail presence” — all key areas in which competing wearable-makers have struggled.

While FitBit has previously attempted to create an Apple Watch-inspired, fitness-tracking smart band, the Blaze unfortunately fell short of truly being an Apple Watch competitor — even despite its similar styling. Adding insult to injury, FitBit’s workforce has also been on the decline this year, with the company having cut upwards of $200 million in jobs and overhead expenses earlier this January — an ominous signal that the company is desperately trying to adapt in an ever-competitive market overtaken by more powerful, capable devices.

Nevertheless, FitBit is at it again this year, with hopes of releasing an authentic Apple Watch competitor by the second half of 2017 — so long as those unexpected design issue delays stop standing in the way, of course. The details about FitBit’s upcoming Apple Watch competitor are scant at this point, but we do know that it will feature an aluminum-clad design similar to the Apple Watch, while boasting a display of comparable 1,000 nits brightness.

Still, with devices like the Apple Watch Series 3 looming right around the bend, we’ll just have to wait and see who ultimately delivers the year’s hottest wearable.

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