Apple Watch shipments experienced a decline in 2024, marking the first-ever drop in the global smartwatch market. According to Counterpoint Research, global smartwatch shipments fell by 7% year-over-year.
In North America, the absence of the Ultra 3 model and minimal upgrades in the Series 10 led consumers to delay purchases, adding to a decline of 10% in Apple’s shipments in this region. Additionally, patent disputes limited Apple’s shipments by about 5% in the first half of the year.
Apple retained its top position in the global market, thanks to its growing base of 1 billion iOS users. However, the company’s momentum was affected by the lack of new Apple Watch SE models and the slowdown of existing SE lineups.
Despite this, Apple remains a dominant player, with its market share still at 22%. In contrast, Samsung saw a 3% year-over-year growth, driven by strong adoption of its new Galaxy Watch 7, Galaxy Watch Ultra, and Galaxy Watch FE Series, which accounted for about 15% of Samsung’s total smartwatch shipments.
The global smartwatch market is expected to recover slowly in 2025, with single-digit percentage growth anticipated. This recovery will likely be driven by the integration of new health sensors and AI capabilities, which will give smartwatches the ability to track serious health conditions such as atrial fibrillation, sleep apnea, hypertension, and diabetes.
Brands are hoping to add these new sensors to their smartwatches, which will require obtaining regulatory approvals. The kids’ smartwatch segment, led by Imoo, was the only area to see growth in 2024, with sales increasing by about 20% due to effective options that enhance child safety and connectivity.
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