If Apple’s recent earnings weren’t enough bad news already, Reports released this week by Strategy and Analytics group show that Apple may be loosing its market share in the Watch category to other industry players.
Neil Mawston, Executive Director at Strategy Analytics, added, “We estimate Apple Watch shipped 2.2 million units and captured 52 percent smartwatch marketshare worldwide in Q1 2016, dipping from 63 percent share in Q4 2015. Samsung shipped 0.6 million smartwatches, capturing 14 percent marketshare worldwide for second position. Apple Watch and Samsung Gear models are expanding fast across dozens of countries, but competition from LG, Motorola and others is ramping up fast.”
Apple Watch was released in April 2015 and it feels like users have been waiting a long time for a meaningful update. The Apple Fans are getting a little restless with just the introduction of new Apple Bands. There is a desire among fans to see the next generation of the product.
It is important to remember that Apple Watch took this product category by storm. In Q1 of 2015, it didn’t even have a presence in this category and by Q4 of 2015 commanded more than 50% of the market share at 63% of the pie. What is also interesting is that during the same time, Samsung’s share slipped by almost 50%. It goes on to show the power the Apple brand holds and how it uniquely shapes a product category.
Now that the market share has slipped from 63% to 52% in Q1 2016, It is time for Apple to buckle up and introduce a solid shinny new watch.
And while at it, the fans will not mind if Tim and Co. can also introduce a competing product for the GearVR headsets. Maybe the Miracle will repeat itself with Apple capturing more than 50% of the VR headset product category as well.
The least the fans can do is imagine, hope and rejoice!
Hopefully the Cupertino Drive Dwellers have something nice coming our way.