Smartwatches Sold More During the COVID-19 Pandemic... Apple Maintains No.1 Position

13.7 Million Units Shipped in Q1, Up 20%
Online Sales Rise and Increased Health Awareness
SA "Market Slows in Q2... Rebound Expected in Second Half"

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Jinju] Despite the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), smartwatch shipments in the first quarter increased by 20% compared to the same period last year. This trend differs from the smartphone market, which was directly hit by COVID-19.

According to market research firm Strategy Analytics (SA) on the 7th (local time), smartwatch shipments in the first quarter of 2020 reached 13.7 million units, a 20.2% (2.3 million units) increase from the first quarter of last year. Steven Waltzer, senior analyst, said, "Smartwatches are selling well online. During the COVID-19 pandemic, many consumers monitored their health and fitness."

Market share by major manufacturers is as follows: Apple (55.5%), Samsung (13.9%), Garmin (8.0%), and others (22.6%). Apple firmly maintained its number one position. Apple Watch shipments in the first quarter reached 7.6 million units, a 23% increase from 6.2 million units in the first quarter of 2019. Apple's market share also rose from 54.5% to 55.5%. Apple plans to release the Apple Watch 6, which includes more features such as blood oxygen measurement and sleep tracking, in the second half of this year.

Samsung Electronics, ranked second, shipped 1.9 million smartwatches. Although shipments increased by 200,000 units compared to the same period last year, its market share slightly declined from 14.9% to 13.9%. Samsung's Galaxy Watch Active 2, released last year, received favorable reviews in the market, and the company is preparing to launch a new smartwatch in the second half of this year. SA explained, "Samsung maintained its second place in the smartwatch market, but growth slowed due to COVID-19, and competition with Garmin and others has resumed."

Garmin reclaimed the third position after two years. Its market share increased from 7% last year to 8% in the first quarter of this year, and Garmin's smartwatch shipments grew 38% from 800,000 units in the first quarter of last year to 1.1 million units. This growth is attributed to models like the 'Venu,' equipped with an OLED color touch screen, gaining popularity in North America and other regions.

The smartwatch market is expected to slow somewhat in the second quarter but rebound from the second half of the year. Health-related measurement features provided by smartwatches, including Samsung's blood pressure monitoring function, are steadily expanding, and interest in health and fitness management is increasing due to COVID-19.

Woody Oh, director at SA, said, "The smartwatch market is expected to slow in the second quarter due to the spread of COVID-19. Sales have been impacted as lockdown measures continue in the US and Europe due to the coronavirus." He added, "From the second half of this year, retail stores will reopen, and there will be greater interest in health regardless of age, so the long-term outlook for the smartwatch market is bright."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.