Worldwide smartwatch shipments to hit 43.5 million in 2018 with 34.8% market share: IDC

The worldwide wearables market forecasts an estimate of 124.9 million units by the end of 2018, which is an 8.2% increase from the same time last year. Though the growth is slightly lower than the 10.3% growth experienced in 2017, the market is expected to return to double-digit growth from 2019 until 2022 as smartwatches and other form factors grow according to International Data Corporation (IDC). According to IDC, beyond the typical wrist-worn devices, earwear is also expected to gain momentum as various brands start to capitalize on the growing interest in smart assistants. Qualcomm's dedicated chipsets for this category is likely to also help bolster supply. Furthermore, products with built-in sensors is also expected to grow and double its share by 2022. As expected, Apple's WatchOS continued to lead with 20.2 million shipments, 16.2% market share in 2018. However, the market share is expected to go up to 34.5 million units by 2022. On the other hand, Wear OS stands second with 5.4 million shipments with 4.3% market share. The combined smartwatch shipments hit 43.5 million units in 2018 with 34.8% market share. But it is expected to double by 2022. On the other hand, wristband segment is expected to decline 6.6% in 2018 as demand for ...