Smartwatch showdown: Apple reigns, Samsung falters, users thrive
According to a new survey, Apple is dominating the smartwatch market in the US, Samsung is struggling, and smartwatch users are becoming more satisfied.
When it comes to smartwatches, there is a clear winner in the wearable tech arena: Apple. The latest consumer survey from Counterpoint reveals some surprising statistics and preferences among smartwatch users. So, let’s look at the numbers, brand loyalty, and the reasons for Apple’s incredible success.
The dominance of Apple in the smartwatch market
According to Counterpoint’s US Smartwatch Tracker, Apple controlled 56% of the US smartwatch market in 2022. Nearly four out of five of iPhone users who own a smartwatch reported owning an Apple Watch. That’s quite impressive brand loyalty!
The ecosystem of devices and operating systems is the primary reason for this dominance. iPhone users are also more likely to adopt other Apple products due to their superior interoperability. This highlights the importance of seamless integration and user experience in driving consumer loyalty.
Samsung’s difficulties
Samsung, on the other hand, is having difficulty convincing Galaxy smartphone users to adopt its smartwatches. Samsung Galaxy Watches are used by only 40% of Samsung smartphone users who own a smartwatch. This struggle is reflected in Counterpoint’s sell-through data, which shows that Apple sold one Apple Watch for every three iPhones sold, while Samsung sold one Galaxy Watch for every ten Galaxy smartphones sold in the United States.
The best smartwatch features
According to users, the top three smartwatch features are health and activity tracking, notification access, and messaging and calling. No real surprises there.
Older users prefer health and activity tracking, while younger users prefer notification checking. Step counters, sleep trackers, heart rate monitors, and blood oxygen tracking are all popular health and activity tracking features.
High levels of user satisfaction
Surprisingly, more than 70% of respondents who used Apple, Samsung, Google, and Garmin smartwatches said they were “very satisfied” with their devices, and 82% said they wore them every day. This high level of satisfaction indicates that there is still room to educate consumers on the benefits of smartwatches in everyday life and drive further adoption of the form factor. It also illustrates just how much smartwatches have advanced in recent years.
The future of smartwatches
In terms of future smartwatch purchases, 50% of the surveyed respondents said they intend to purchase a new smartwatch within the next year, with 77% preferring Apple as their next smartwatch brand. The proportion of respondents willing to pay $500 or more for their next smartwatch has more than doubled. This indicates that average selling prices for the segment are rising, in line with high inflation in the rest of the economy.
Essential reading: Top fitness trackers and health gadgets
All in all, this survey shows that Apple’s dominance in the smartwatch market remains unrivalled, while Samsung struggles to keep up. What’s more, high user satisfaction and a growing preference for more expensive smartwatches indicate that the wearable tech industry has a bright future.
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