According to the latest insights from International Data Corporation (IDC), the Middle East, Turkey and Africa (META) wearable devices market includes posted a year-on-year growth rate of 2.0% in units and 25.4% in value in Q3 2021, spurred by Apple. The latest edition of the firm’s Worldwide Quarterly Wearable Devices Tracker shows that 3.09 million units worth $504.6 million were shipped across the region during the quarter. IDC’s Wearables Devices Tracker includes earwear, watches, wristbands, modular, and glasses.
“Despite ongoing supply shortage challenges, the wearables market continues to grow in the META region,” says Nourhan Abdullah, a senior research analyst at IDC, in a statement. “The supply disruption effects were seen in the price increments levied by many vendors during Q3 2021.”
“Consumers tend to spend more of their disposal income on more compatible devices connected to their cellphones,” says Zeynep Kilic, a research manager at IDC, in a statement. “The pandemic and lockdowns raised the demand for wearables for their health and fitness capabilities, and this is what spurred some vendors to invest in this field, such as Apple with its Fitness+ apps.”
The earwear category, which includes true wireless (TWS) and over-ear devices, maintained the largest share of shipments in the third quarter, accounting for 45.9% of all wearable devices shipped to the region. Year on year, earwear shipments increased 34.4% in unit terms and 22.6% in value in Q3 2021. Continuing work-from-home policies triggered demand for active noise cancellation (ANC) options to be imbedded in hearables. Apple led the earwear category with a third of the total market units, while Samsung placed second ahead of Chinese brand Xiaomi in third.
The smartwatch category witnessed notable annual growth in Q3 2011 of 40.9% in units and 45.7% in value. Even with supply constraints restricting its new Apple Watch Series 7 line-up, Apple dominated the region’s smartwatch space in Q3 2021, spurred by shipments of its Series 6 and Series 3 devices.
The basic watch category also saw strong year-on-year growth in Q3 2021, with shipments increasing 54.8% in unit terms and 44.2% in value. With similar price points, basic watches have become a viable alternative to wristbands thanks to their long-lasting battery life, bigger screen options, and health tracking features such as oxygen and pulse measurements. Huawei, the creator of HarmonyOS, led the way in the basic watch category, followed by Amazfit in second and Xiaomi in third.
MacDailyNews Take: The domination of Apple Watch and AirPod continue unabated.
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This is my penultimate post. And it’s a minor one at that.
This brief note relates to a predecessor of Apple’s current watch…the WristMac.
The WristMac as reported on various sites was made by Seiko and a basic packaged model recently went up for auction and has sold for $7,500. It was expected to fetch for between $25,000 and $50,000. The original buyer purchased the watch for $50 from a closing down sale. And here is the link:
https://www.comicconnect.com/item/941004#description?tzf=1&tzf=1
MacDailyNews: “The domination of Apple Watch and AirPod continue unabated”.
Given these categories are flooded with large and small makers that often have rock bottom prices, with even a few makers just copying Apple almost to the letter (brandname Appol out of Cupertino with almost indistinguishable physical appearance to AirPods)), Apple’s “domination” is a fact. It is a 24kt pure gold testament to the brand name that Apple carries. As it stands now the main Apple product line is unrivaled. AirPods, Watch, iPad, iPhone, MacBooks, App Store – while one could argue any one of these items isn’t the very best in its category, there isn’t an argument that Apple’s main product lines encompasses either the very best or very close to the best. This kind of pure excellence has a selling power all on its own.
Apple is seriously underrepresented in huge swaths of the planet. Their prices tend to be out of reach for some. But with their brand name’s ability carry the day all on its own. any ability to price more aptly for a given geographic area makes Apple almost a shoe in winner wherever it can sell its products on a wide basis.