Just 720,000 watches shipped in the last half of 2014
It’s been a mediocre start for Android Wear, as sales figures show that less than a million Google-powered smartwatches shipped in the second half of 2014.
Figures by industry analysts Canalys reveal that roughly 720,000 Android Wear devices were sold in the last six months of the year.
Essential reading: Apple Watch release date
That was a proportion of a total of 4.6m watches sold in the same period, which includes offerings from Samsung and Pebble.
The good news for Samsung is that it stayed top dog for smartwatches, after its whirlwind launch of four new smartwatches in early 2014 led to decent sales momentum.
However, of the 720,000 Android watches sold, it was the Moto 360 that stole the show. The round-faced smartwatch managed to lead the race, despite suffering supply issues and widespread criticism over battery life, which was partially addressed by an update.
Smartwatch showdown: Android Wear v Apple Watch
The report went on to conclude that battery life issues were the main problem holding back Android Wear devices, and revealed that fitness trackers outsold smartwatches at a rate of 3 to 1 to be the wearable of choice for 2014.
The numbers are a sobering assessment of the hype surrounding smartwatches, but like the industry, early adopters will be waiting for the verdict on the Apple Watch before shelling out.
Update: When will your smartwatch get Android Wear 2.0
With a range of Android Wear smartwatches expected to land at MWC 2015, and the Apple Watch’s arrival slated for April, a true assessment of the smartwatch landscape is still some way off.
