The numbers are in: Fitbit is top seller in wearables with Apple Watch at No. 2

IDC analysis shows that Apple is within reach of Fitbit's success
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Apple shipped 3.6 million Apple Watches in the second quarter of 2015, according to a report from IDC. The tech giant is gaining steam against its closest competitor, Fitbit, which shipped 0.8 million more devices during the same time period.

At the beginning of the year, Fitbit became the number one seller of wearable tech. In August, the company revealed its estimate-smashing sales quarter of $400 million worth of fitness tracker sales, which added fuel to the rumours of Apple Watch's lackluster performance.

Read this: 17 things we've learned about the Apple Watch in three months

However, IDC's Worldwide Wearable Quarterly Device Tracker report shows that Apple has made its wearable tech debut in the number two sales spot, capturing nearly 20% of the market share, while Fitbit remains in the lead with 24.3%.

"Apple has clearly garnered an impressive lead in this space and its dominance is expected to continue," said IDC senior research analyst Jitesh Ubrani. "Although Fitbit outshipped Apple, it's worth noting that Fitbit only sells basic wearables – a category that is expected to lose share over the next few years, leaving Apple poised to become the next market leader for all wearables."

The numbers are in: Fitbit is top seller in wearables with Apple Watch at No. 2

While Apple and Fitbit account for 44% of all sales between them, other news in IDC's global wearable tracker is that Xiaomi is not far behind Apple in third place. The company shipped 3.1 million fitness bands for the second quarter of 2015, which is far above the next highest-selling competitor. Garmin and Samsung battle for fourth and fifth place with 0.7 and 0.6 million units shipped, respectively, and the rest of the wearables industry making up the remaining 5.7 million sales.

IDC also notes that the overall wearable industry has grown by a massive 223% from the same quarter last year at 18.1 million units shipped compared to only 5.6 million in the second quarter of 2014.

It looks like the wearables industry is not going anywhere soon. At this rate it is possible that the market will actually reach that predicted $74 billion mark by 2025.


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Lory is a freelance technology writer, who specializes in apps and games. She now works as a contract editor for Apple.

Lory has written for iMore, Lilliput Computing and Applewatchdaily.com.


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