Cellular Connectivity Created 'Tipping Point' for Smartwatch Demand, Says NPD
Apple, Samsung and Fitbit dominated U.S. smartwatch sales, with 88 percent for the 12 months ended Nov. 30, reported NPD Tuesday, but traditional watchmakers including Fossil and fitness brand Garmin are adding share. The category gained 51 percent to nearly…
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$5 billion, unit sales expanding 61 percent. Smartwatch sales have gained “strong momentum,” said analyst Weston Henderek, with built-in LTE the “tipping point” for consumers, freeing them from needing a smartphone nearby to receive notifications and messages and to access smart home controls. Sixteen percent of U.S. adults own a smartwatch, up from 12 percent two years ago. It's 23 percent among those 18-34 years old, and health features are expected to increasingly buoy sales of models such as Apple’s Watch 4 series among older consumers. Evolving uses will drive other demand, NPD said, noting 15 percent of smartwatch owners say they control home automation devices using their watch.