Lack of updates and new models sees Apple Watch sales decline

A lack of significant new features in the Apple Watch Series 10 and no updates to the Apple Watch SE or Apple Watch Ultra, is claimed to be behind another year of declining sales.

First reports about Apple Watch sales in 2024 had already showed a significant drop, but now new figures from Counterpoint Research say the decline is tied to a lack of updates.

Counterpoint says that globally, Apple Watch sales declined 19% in 2024 year on year. That makes the second year that Apple Watch has seen a year on year decline, and Q4 2025 was the fifth consecutive quarter of decreasing sales.

The research firm says that the decline was worldwide except for India. While the company does not break down the sales per region further, Counterpoint says that the global figure was chiefly driven by the decline in North America.

Apple Watch Ultra 2 has previously accounted for over 10%, but fell to under 8% in 2024. That has been ascribed to the lack of a new Apple Watch Ultra 3 during the year.

Sales have the Apple Watch have declined in the last two years — source: Counterpoint Research

Similarly, the Apple Watch SE hasn't been updated since 2022. The report says that the Apple Watch SE constitutes the majority of Apple Watch sales immediately after launch, so the lack of one in Q3 2023 is what prompted the first quarterly decline.

Separately, as well as Apple Watch Series 10 being seen to offer few new features over its predecessor, the model was affected by legal battles. Those saw the removal of the Apple Watch Series 10's blood oxygen feature, at least from models sold in the US.

Apple is expected to launch an Apple Watch Series 11 in September, and while it is predicted to look the same, it may have significant new features. Those are said to include additional health sensors, as well as possibly cameras.

Then it's previously been reported that Apple has been working on introducing an Apple Watch SE with a plastic chassis. That would lower production costs, though it isn't guaranteed that Apple would pass those savings on to buyers.

Apple has also been rumored to be working on an update to the Apple Watch Ultra. It's suggested that an Apple Watch Ultra 3 could add the ability to use Messages via satellite, directly on the watch.