Apple Watch sales to hit 24 million with 10% of people to buy smartwatch in 2015

Big numbers forecast as interest in the genre heats up
1744-original
Wareable is reader-powered. If you click through using links on the site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more

Last month we heard that up to 30 million Apple Watch units could be shifted in 2015 and we've yet another big prediction for the Cupertino smartwatch today, with UBS estimating that 24 million will hit people's wrists next year.

The interesting thing about the UBS forecast is that it's based on a general survey about smartwatch interests with 10% of the 4,000 quizzed across four countries (US, UK, China and Italy) responding that they would be "very likely" to purchase a smartwatch in 2015.

Essential guide: Apple Watch all you need to know

"10% of respondents (401 out of 4,000) are very likely and 17% (682 out of 4,000) somewhat likely to buy a smartwatch in the next 12 months," stated the financial analyst. "That is a three-fold increase vis-à-vis the 386 respondents claiming to already own a smartwatch and a four-fold increase if we assume that around one-third of the currently owned smartwatches are actually fitness bands."

The Samsung Gear range actually topped the poll for the most wanted smartwatch but UBS states that when the Apple Watch launch date arrives in 2015, it will be the US tech giant that dominates the genre.

The chances are that we'll never know exactly how many Apple Watches are sold though, because the company plans to guard its smartwatch sales figures by grouping them in with iPods, Apple TVs and accessories in the 'others' category.

Old rivals: Apple Watch v Microsoft Band

CEO Tim Cook told investors during an earnings call recently: "It says nothing about our expectations about the product...I'm not very anxious in reporting a lot of numbers on Apple Watch and giving a lot of detail because competitors look for it. And so aggregating it is helpful from that point of view as well."

Will you be grabbing an Apple Watch in 2015? If so, tell us why...

Source: MacRumours

TAGGED

How we test



Paul Lamkin

By

Wareable Media Group co-CEO Paul launched Wareable with James Stables in 2014, after working for a variety of the UK's biggest and best consumer tech publications including Pocket-lint, Forbes, Electric Pig, Tech Digest, What Laptop, T3 and has been a judge for the TechRadar Awards. 

Prior to founding Wareable, and subsequently The Ambient, he was the senior editor of MSN Tech and has written for a range of publications.


Related stories