Xiaomi continued to lead the global wearable devices market in Q2 2017 because Apple, Samsung and Fitbit could not take on the China device maker in the low-cost devices market, said IDC.
In addition to the popular Mi Band lineup, Xiaomi caters to the growing market of kids’ devices and recently shipped its first pair of smart shoes under the Mijia brand.
Apple outpaced the market as the Series 1 and Series 2 are now mature products with the clear and concise purpose of fitness. Apple is also expanding its reach among health insurance providers to gain market share.
Fitbit Ionic is expected to cement the company’s place in the growing smartwatch market.
Garmin’s 6.6 percent drop in shipments from last year is not a negative factor as the company managed to grow revenue. IDC noted that transitioning from basic fitness trackers to advanced smartwatches like Fenix has worked well for Garmin company.
Fossil has become the 5th largest wearable brand globally thanks to the acquisition of Misfit in late 2015. While smartwatches from Michael Kors and Fossil took center stage, Fossil’s hybrid watch lineup also gained traction.
The worldwide wearables market rose 10.3 percent to 26.3 million during the second quarter of 2017.
Basic wearables, which do not run third party apps, fell 0.9 percent. Meanwhile, smartwatches like the Apple Watch and Android Wear lineup grew 60.9 percent in the quarter thanks to fitness and fashion enthusiasts.
“The transition towards more intelligent and feature-filled wearables is in full swing,” said Jitesh Ubrani, senior research analyst for IDC Mobile Device Trackers.
IDC said wearables with embedded GPS have reached almost 41.7 percent against 24.5 percent a year ago.
Smartwatches recorded double-digit growth, with much of that increase attributable to a growing number of models aimed at specific market segments, like the fashion-conscious and outdoor enthusiasts.
