Counterpoint: Apple Retains Global Top-Spot in Smartwatches

26 AUGUST 2022 - All of a sudden, Apple’s next China is the second-biggest smartwatch market in the world. That is the word from Counterpoint Research. According to the market tracker, the “global smartwatch market grew 13% YoY in Q2 2022 with Apple retaining the top spot.” Apple’s Watch’s global marketshare slipped the tiniest bit though, inching from 30.6% in the second quarter of 2021 to 29.3% last quarter.

As for Apple’s next China, Counterpoint says, “India became the second-largest smartwatch market,” though Apple Watch had next to nothing to do with that. Counterpoint Associate Director Sujeong Lim is quoted in the piece, saying:

During the quarter, 30% of models shipped in the Indian market sold for less than $50, and major local brands launched cost-effective models, lowering the entry barriers for consumers.

The piece says sales on the subcontinent were “driven by the strong growth of local brands such as Fire-Boltt and Noise.” In fact, their rise in India was enough to push the two brands into the global smartwatch top-eight, which you could just as easily call Apple Watch and the other seven. At the top of the list, Apple Watch held the aforementioned 29.3% share. In an assailable second place was Samsung with a 9.2% share. No other brand could muster 7%, by Counterpoint’s count.