Apple maintained its lead as the world ’s top smartwatch brand in the year 2024 , but did so at the cost of declining market percentage , while contender such as Samsung and Chinese labels saw an uptick in their sales . Apple end the year with a 22 % portion of the global market , down from 25 % in 2023 , total to a 19 % reducing in yearly shipments .
fit in to Counterpoint ’s Global Smartwatch Shipments report , the global smartwatch market shrunk for the first time ever in 2024 . “ The downturn was primarily due to a fall in Apple ’s shipments as the canonic smartwatch segment saw low-toned raise amid a retardation , ” says the report .
Apple ’s lead in the grocery is mainly attributed to its massive iPhone drug user radical , but the impulse was weaker due to a lukewarm upgrade spot . This wo n’t be the first meter thatApple was beaten at raw emergence figures by a familiar rivalin 2024 , as the class - end IDC smartwatch write up also painted a standardized characterisation .
Why the Apple juggernaut is losing steam?
As per Counterpoint ’s Senior Research Analyst , Anshika Jain , the absence of an upgraded Apple Watch Ultra 3 and seasonable refresh of the Apple SE model , mate with an unimpressive innovation deal on theApple Watch Series 10 , contributed to a lower buyer consumption in North America .
“ to boot , patent contravention limited shipments in the first half of the year . The retardation of the be Apple Watch SE batting order and the lack of new SE models also contributed to the decline , ” Jain was cite as saying .
To recall , Apple is yet to release an updated low-down - cost “ SE ” model , which isrumoured to get a fictile chassis for its next iterationin fiat to maintain a competitive request price . In the meanwhile , competitor such as Samsung and OnePlus have been offer up fairly robust Wear OS smartwatches in the budget segment .
Moreover , Apple ’s patent of invention tussles with Masimo , which resulted in a restriction onsale of its a la mode smartwatch modelswith the disputed pulse oximetry ( blood oxygen saturation level measuring ) organization onboard , also came as a big setback . Back then , the ban covered two of Apple ’s flagship models , the Apple Watch Series 9 and the Watch Ultra 2 .
Chinese brands are a real threat
While the globose smartwatch grocery store shrunk , China clocked the high percentage of shipments on a per - market basis for the first time . Among the local player , Xiaomi find the biggest growth worth an astonishing 135 % , while Huawei put down a 35 % rush in one-year shipments .
These two brands offer an expansive portfolio of smartwatch example , which not only ply to varied cost brackets , but also entirely unlike emptor segment based on looks and feature solidifying . Huawei ’s rise , in particular , should concern Apple .
Huawei ’s smartwatches have not only caught up with Apple in terms of detector tech innovation , but also made a leap . For object lesson , no Apple Watch model currently allows blood pressing monitoring . Huawei ’s Watch D2 , however , comes with a unique micropump organisation integrated within the watch strap that allow users to keep an eye on blood pressure level .
Apple is said to be eyeball the next major sensor discovery for smartwatches , one that could leave non - invading blood glucose monitoring , and possibly pressure sensing , as well . However , that is yet to happen .
Upstarts like Novosound , however , have already attest an integrated multi - functional wearable ultrasoundsensor that is capable of monitoring line pressure level in literal timewithout cuffs or wire . The company says its sensing element hatful is ready for deployment in vigil and even smart ring .
It would be interesting to see how Apple contend to deliver on the hope of yet another smartwatch find , after open up the section and top it for year .
