Roger Fingas
While Apple was still on top of the American and European smartwatch markets in the July quarter, the company saw its grip weaken slightly as people waited for a second-generation Apple Watch, according to a research report published this week.
Apple managed a 33.5 percent share in the U.S., said Kantar Worldpanel, without identifying the extent of the Watch's decline. The trend was said to be similar in the big four European markets — France, Germany, Great Britain, and Italy — but giving Apple a smaller 31.8 percent share.
The Series 2 — which launched Sept. 16 — could help Apple out, Kantar said. The device addressed two of the key features people consider when buying a wearable, namely GPS and waterproofing.
The latter is claimed to be the most desired feature, presumably because it not only opens up new activities but lets people keep the device on when taking a bath or shower, and avoid any damage from rain or accidental submersion.
Apple is also expected to receive some help from the Series 1, an upgrade of the original Watch with a faster processor. At $269, it could allay some worries about cost, which Kantar indicated is the public's "overall" concern when it comes to buying wearables.
Wesley Hilliard
Malcolm Owen
Christine McKee
Andrew Orr
William Gallagher
10 Comments
Not mentioned is WatchOS 3 which really is a fine update. I liked my watch before, but with version 3 it really is a more functional, nicer device.
I hope Series 2 outsells first gen.
last time I was in the Apple Store I saw iPods shoved in the back shelf, it was depressing seeing a once wildly successful tech icon sitting in an ignored part of the Store.
I hope Apple Watch takes its place as the new iPod.
This headline reads confusingly. A comma between "slip" and "ahead" would help.
I'm glad for the waterproofing, but do people really wear a watch in the bath or shower? Seems very odd. Swimming and rain are more likely use-cases.
1. Apple doesn’t release sales figures for the Watch so this is pure guessing/conjecture on the part of Kantar Worldpanel.
2. How is Kantar Worldpanel defining smartwatches? If they consider Fitbit and other fitness wearables as smartwatches then this report is complete bullshit.
3. I simply cannot believe what weight some people would give reports like this when making investment decisions.
4. When Apple is behind in market share they are declared Doomed™
5. Even when Apple has the lead in market share they are always portrayed as “slipping” and of course, Doomed™