Global sales of smart watches decreased for the first time, new figures indicate a large extent to a sharp decrease in the popularity of the leading company in the market, Apple.
Market research company says 7 % less than devices was shipped in 2024 compared to the previous year.
Apple watches’ charges decreased by 19 % in that period, says CounterPoint.
It blames the recession for the lack of new features in the latest Apple devices, and the fact that the Ultra 3 extremist model is never achieved.
“The largest decline driver is North America, where Ultra 3 absence and the least advantagement of features in the S10 LED purchasing group,” he said. Counter -point Senior Research analyst, Echica Jain.
Apple also obtained sales and import ban in the United States in late 2023 and early 2024 during a A disputed patent Regarding the monitoring of the level of oxygen in the blood – which Ms. Jin also says to a decrease in sales numbers in the first half of 2024.
22 % of its market share has retained in the last three months of 2024, a decrease from 25 % in the previous year.
“We have passed during a period when the smart watch has moved from being a new and exciting tool, to something that now settles – the collection of features does not change significantly over the course of a year,” said Leo Gibbi, the lead analyst at CCS Insight.
Despite the total decrease, last year witnessed a huge increase in sales to Chinese -Chinese smart watches from brands such as Xiaomi, Huawei and IMOO.
Sales in China also grew from 19 % of the market to 25 % in the year from the last quarter of 2023.
This was the first time that smart watch sales have registered more than India or North America, according to CounterPoint.
Chinese manufacturers seem to benefit from another direction – the popularity of smart watches for children, the only part of the market that grows in 2024.
IMOO, known in China as “Little Genius”, specializes in smart watches for children and witnessed a 22 % increase in shipments.
“The smart watch slice of children is gained strength as parents are interested in the safety of their children, and they want to track their children constantly,” said Palper Singh of CounterPoint.
But IMOO was dismantled by a 135 % increase in shipments from the Technology Company based in Beijing Xiaomi.
Smart range tracking devices for a small part of the price of competitors made by Apple and Samsung.
“We see adult consumer electronics players such as Apple and Samsung are really looking to lead a higher margin and not engage in price war.”
“Xiaomi did a really good job in selling devices, especially in areas such as southern and eastern Europe, where this capacity tends to bear more costs with customers.”
Another major contributor to global sales is India, which has decreased from 30 % of the market to 23 %.
He said this is partially due to a “bubble” in ultra -scent devices from Indian manufacturers that have now exploded.
“We have read and saw a lot in terms of complaints about the quality of the devices, even though people are not satisfied with them,” he said.
“For those companies, there was a feeling that from this point on upwards, it will be better provided by creating and selling products with a little longer.”
Counterpoint says it expects a small recovery in the global market, with “the number one centenary in 2025”.
The rise in sales is expected to be driven by increasing the adoption of artificial intelligence features, and a greater focus on providing a wide range of health data.