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Fitbit Continues to Outpace Apple Watch in Broader Wearables Market

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The latest data from market research firm IDC reveals that the Apple Watch remained the most popular smartwatch in the first quarter, with an estimated 1.5 million sales and 46 percent market share through the first three months of 2016. Meanwhile, basic wearables unsurprisingly continue to outpace smartwatches.

Fitbit-Apple-Watch.jpg

Samsung was the closest threat to Apple Watch among smartwatches in the quarter, with an estimated 700,000 sales and 20.9 percent market share, followed by Motorola, Huawei, and Garmin with estimated 400,000, 200,000, and 100,000 shipments respectively for a combined 18.6 percent market share.

Apple finished third in the overall wearables market with 7.5 percent market share, behind lower-price fitness tracker vendors Fitbit and Xiaomi. Fitbit commanded a leading 24.5 percent market share off an estimated 4.8 million shipments, while Xiaomi had 3.7 million shipments for 19 percent market share.

Apple-vs-Fitbit-Q1-2016.png

Apple does not disclose Watch sales in its quarterly earning results, instead grouping the device under its Other Products category alongside iPods, Apple TVs, Beats Electronics, and accessories. IDC and Strategy Analytics estimates place total Apple Watch sales at nearly 16 million from April 2015 through March 2016.
Fitbit began 2016 the same way it finished 2015: as the undisputed leader in the wearables market. The launch of its new Alta and Blaze devices resulted in million unit shipment volumes for each, pointing to a new chapter of fashion-oriented fitness trackers. It also points to significant declines for its previously successful Surge, Charge, Charge HR, and Flex product lines. Still, with a well-segmented portfolio, pricing strategy, and a strong brand, Fitbit's position is well-established.
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IDC's data supports the notion that Apple continues to cede market share to Android Wear smartwatches and other wearables as the market evolves. Strategy Analytics data from April, however, had a higher Apple Watch sales estimate of 2.2 million for 52.4 percent market share in the first quarter.

Many prospective buyers are now holding out for the Apple Watch 2, which is rumored to debut in the second half of 2016 and could feature a FaceTime camera, expanded Wi-Fi abilities, cellular connectivity, and thinner design. New bands, finishes, and models are always possibilities as well.

Article Link: Fitbit Continues to Outpace Apple Watch in Broader Wearables Market
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2016/05/16/apple-watch-vs-fitbit-data-q1-2016/
Apple really need to come out with a fitness band to compete. 30 day Battery life, sleep tracking, notifications, music control, Siri and a food database. Sold. More fitness people in the Apple ecosystem
 
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Not a surprised. I own an Apple Watch - it holds very well as a notification center for me, aka an extension of the Apple ecosystem, rather than one that stands by its own. Hopefully AW2 will fix this
 
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I love my Apple Watch, but I do use it more like an expensive fitbit than anything else. I got it for work, so it didn't cost me much.

At the moment, I can easily say that the only compelling reason I would have paid for one myself would have been because of my gadget addiction. :D
 
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I was never a fan of the FitBit. I had a few versions as part of a company wellness plan, but they were just never very accurate. I ran an experiment several times where I would walk 100, 200, 500 steps and compare devices. Withings Pulse was almost always spot on, as was Apple Watch. FitBit and older devices like the v1 Jawbone Up band were significantly off. And they were even less useful for other activity types.
 
Apple Watch 1 is limited to early adopter iPhone owners with money to spare. Let's see what's the story by Apple Watch 4.

I'd also like to see further simplification of the product and the killing of the friends button with some clever way to access power off features. Perhaps a force touch on the home screen with a double press of the crown accessing Apple Pay.
 
Apple tries to upgrade the Apple watch (and price) with functionality nobody uses. A smartwatch doesnt need to be an App device. All it needs to do is push notifications, play music, track where you go and show the time.

Make it as simple as that, cut the price and make it look like a watch.
 
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RangerOne said:
I was never a fan of the FitBit. I had a few versions as part of a company wellness plan, but they were just never very accurate.
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I also used two "free" FitBits from my employer.

I could mostly live with its imprecise data (although not happily), but I just found the hardware to be very low quality. The tracker themselves are low quality enough, but charging them is worse. Blaze and Flex requires taking the tracker from their band, which will eventually wear out the band (either becomes loose or tear off) and the tracker will unexpectedly pop out.

Blaze costs $200, which while cheaper than Apple Watch's $300 price tag, Apple Watch can frequently be purchased at a substantial discount, making the price difference all but insignificant.
 
The Apple Watch was the very first Apple product I sent back after a couple of days: it's a typical flawed first model thing.
Just like the very first iPhone was, but worse.
Can't wait to see the second, or indeed as somebody mentioned the fourth model, as for sure there is potential.
Just a matter of time.
 
silroc said:
Do you think Apple is happy that they can't take Fitbit market share?

I bet they would love to
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I doubt they care. Apple is driving for revenue share and profits. They don't care about units, especially the units of down-market products. IDC is not reporting revenue; but based on those unit tables it would seem Apple is #1, even in the larger wearable market.
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mgmusicman94 said:
Sure they are, theres a significant price difference and people are more likely to buy the cheaper one. The fact that the lower end sells more is not an indication that it's a better product.
Click to expand...

You are right; but everyone is missing the greater point that Apple is most likely #1 in revenues.
 
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