2015 was the year of the wearable after all
Marketing research company NPD has reported that US wearable sales almost doubled in 2015 compared to the previous year.
An estimated 13.4 million devices were sold according to research, dwarfing 2014’s 7.2 million, and the average price soared from $96 to $109, thanks to the release of premium devices, such as the Apple Watch.
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“The increase in average selling price speaks to these devices becoming more sophisticated, and that consumers are looking for better-quality devices, not just entry-level products,” said Ben Arnold, executive director and industry analyst of NPD Group.
The report also revealed that consumer awareness about smartwatches is 8% higher than fitness trackers. Again, this can be attributed to the release of the Apple Watch, which accounted for 52% of all sales as we reported back in January.
However, fractions speak louder than words, and despite NPD Group’s survey, fitness trackers are still dominating the wearable market. An estimated 33 million devices are currently in circulation worldwide, with Fitbit having sold 79% of all fitness trackers in 2015.
“A confluence of factors has contributed to the growth of connected fitness trackers. Greater awareness of the products is leading to increased interest, new colours and designs have made trackers more appealing, and there are more opportunities to buy the products due to increased distribution,” Arnold said.
NPD expects a growth in sales towards the end of 2016 once second generation devices have been released, and there could be 30 million smartwatches strapped to our wrists by 2017.