The Apple Watch remains the dominant wearable device in the global smartwatch market, and it maintains a big lead over its competitors. Apple has enjoyed the top spot in the smartwatch market for several years, and in 2021 it continues to maintain that lead. According to an analysis by Counterpoint Research, Apple remains the dominant player in the market, with the most shipments among smartwatch vendors.
Apple maintained its pole position among Counterpoint’s top nine smartwatch brands by shipment share in 2021, according to a report released Monday. Its Apple Watch’s 30.1 percent share is well ahead of its rivals, with the closest rival being Samsung at 10.2 percent, followed by Huawei at 7.7 percent.
However, this share is slightly less than the 2020 result, when Counterpoint statistics showed that Apple had a 32.9% market share, on the other hand, while the global smartwatch market grew between 2020 and 2021 24%, but increased competition caused Apple to drop less than 3%.
Despite a slight loss in market share, Apple’s average selling price of the Apple Watch rose 3% year-over-year in the absence of an Apple Watch SE update in 2021. As a result of this growth, Counterpoint said Apple will account for half of the market’s total revenue in 2021.
One of the reasons for the growth of the smartwatch market in 2021 is considered to be the expansion of the Indian market. While India only accounted for 3% of the market in 2020, it now has close to 10% overall. Strong demand for smartwatches under $100 is also cited as a growth factor.
“The good growth of the global smartwatch market in 2021 is meaningful in itself, but more meaningful is that it makes us look forward to future growth,” said director Suejeong Lim. “These devices are becoming increasingly popular with their ability to monitor health parameters such as blood pressure, ECG, and SPO2.”
Lim further suggested that “if more smartwatches start supporting mobile phone connectivity, the appeal of smartwatches as standalone wearables will increase”. Since the Apple Watch already has cellular support, it looks like this comment is primarily aimed at Apple’s market rivals.