According to the latest report from the Strategy Analytics firm, Smartwatch shipments in the fourth quarter of 2015 exceeded Swiss watch shipments for the first time. This analytics firm states that during the last quarter of 2015, 8,1 million smartwatches were shipped (6,2 million more than the same period last year) while the number of Swiss watches shipped amounted to 7,9 million (400.000 units less than the same period of the previous year). It is clear that little by little smartwatches are putting their heads in the market and especially in the hands of the Apple Watch.
If we look closely at these figures, we can see that of the 8,1 million smartwatches shipped Apple and Samsung represent the largest number. Apple shipped 5,1 million units, 63%, while Samsung only reached 1,3 million units, 16% of the total. The rest of the units are distributed among all the manufacturers of well-known brands such as LG, Huawei, Sony and Chinese brands that offer devices for less than 50 euros.
With 8,1 million units shipped, this data represents 316% more than in the same period last year, when only 1.9 million units were shipped. Obviously, it must be borne in mind that the Apple Watch was launched last year, exactly in April, so 2014 figures only reflect data from Android Wear and Pebble-based smartwatch manufacturers mainly.
In the fourth quarter of 2014, the Swiss shipped 8,3 million units while in the same period last year, the figures were reduced by 5% up to 7,9 million units. According to Neil Mawston, CEO of Strategy Analytics:
Swiss industry has reacted very slowly in the development of smartwatches. The Swiss watch industry has been sitting around thinking that smartwatches would just be a fad. Swiss brands such as Tag Heuer represent only 1% of the smartwatches shipped during the last quarter of 2015, and are a long way from Apple, Samsung and other manufacturers that are betting on this technology.
