According to the latest research from Strategy Analytics, global
smartwatch shipments reached 8.1 million units in Q4 2015, compared with
7.9 million Swiss Watch shipments. It is the first time ever that
smartwatches have outshipped Swiss watches on a global basis.
Cliff Raskind, Director at Strategy Analytics, said, “We estimate global
smartwatch shipments reached 8.1 million units in Q4 2015, rising a
healthy 316 percent from 1.9 million in Q4 2014. Smartwatches are
growing rapidly in North America, Western Europe and Asia. Apple Watch
captured an impressive 63 percent share of the global smartwatch market
in Q4 2015, followed by Samsung with 16 percent. Apple and Samsung
together account for a commanding 8 in 10 of all smartwatches shipped
worldwide.”
Steven Waltzer, Analyst at Strategy Analytics, added, “We estimate
global Swiss watch shipments reached 7.9 million units in Q4 2015,
falling 5 percent from 8.3 million in Q4 2014. Global demand for Swiss
watches is slowing down, and major players like Swatch are struggling to
find growth.”
Neil Mawston, Executive Director at Strategy Analytics, added, “The
Swiss watch industry has been very slow to react to the development of
smartwatches. The Swiss watch industry has been sticking its head in the
sand and hoping smartwatches will go away. Swiss brands, like Tag Heuer,
accounted for a tiny 1 percent of all smartwatches shipped globally
during Q4 2015, and they are long way behind Apple, Samsung and other
leaders in the high-growth smartwatch category.”
Exhibit 1: Global Smartwatch vs. Swiss Watch Shipments in Q4 2015 [1]
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Global Shipments (Millions of Units)
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Q4 '14
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Q4 '15
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|
Smartwatch
|
|
|
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1.9
|
|
|
8.1
|
|
Swiss Watch
|
|
|
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8.3
|
|
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7.9
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Total
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|
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1.9
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|
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8.1
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Global Shipments Growth: Year-over-Year (%)
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|
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Q4 '14
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|
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Q4 '15
|
|
Smartwatch
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|
|
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~
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|
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315.6%
|
|
Swiss Watch
|
|
|
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~
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|
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-4.8%
|
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Total
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|
|
|
100.0%
|
|
|
100.0%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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Source: Strategy Analytics
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The full report, Smartwatches Outsell Swiss Watches
in Q4 2015, is published by the Strategy Analytics
Wearable Device Ecosystems (WDE) service, details
of which can be found here.
About Strategy Analytics:
Strategy Analytics is a global, independent research and consulting
firm. The company is headquartered in Boston, USA, with offices in the
UK, France, Germany, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, India and China. Visit www.strategyanalytics.com for
more information.
[1] Numbers are rounded. A “Swiss watch” is an iconic product category
and is defined as a wristwatch produced and shipped from Switzerland. A
“smartwatch” is an emerging product category and is defined as a
computerized wristwatch with a high-level or expandable operating system
produced and shipped from any country worldwide.
Americas Contact:
Cliff Raskind, +1 617-614-0727
CRaskind@strategyanalytics.com
or
EMEA Contact:
Neil Mawston, +44 1908 423 628
NMawston@strategyanalytics.com
or
Asia Contact:
Steven Waltzer, +1 617-614-0758
SWaltzer@strategyanalytics.com