From supply chain disruptions to small business closures, the pandemic has laid waste to the economy in more ways than one. However, a few industries — like online retailers — have seen some pretty serious growth, likely fueled by the many stay-at-home orders in place across the US. Now, it would appear smartwatches are among those essential pandemic purchases given the substantial increase in shipments over the last few months. Overall, the percentage represented a pretty hefty increase for smartwatches, with 13.4 million units shipping in Q1 of 2020, compared to the 11.4 units that shipped in Q1 of 2019. However, Strategy Analytics don’t expect this trend to continue. The study notes that continued lockdown rules, keeping people inside, could cut sales down dramatically in Q2. But there is a light at the end of the tunnel, as the second half of the year is expected to see businesses opening and stay-at-home orders lifted, which should restart the market. To be clear, smartwatches and other fitness trackers cannot detect Covid-19 (although the idea is far from impossible). However, given the many other physical and mental health benefits of smartwatches, like sleep notifications and activity tracking, it’s safe to say users are hoping these devices will help them stay in good shape during the pandemic, and who could blame them? Apple still dominates the smartwatch market with the incredibly popular Apple Watch, boasting a staggering 7.6 million units shipped, which represents 55% of the market share. Samsung comes in second place with 1.9 million units shipped, representing only 14% of the market share. The one surprise in these numbers is the third place company, which is somehow Garmin. The GPS device seller turned smartwatch dynamo has shipped 1.1 million units in the first quarter of 2020, thanks largely in part to the increasing array of devices available and the surprisingly comprehensive Garmin Watch OS. Companies like Fitbit, Xiaomi, and Huawei have struggled to get a solid footing, especially in the face of the pandemic. However, it would appear the market is ripe for the picking from the Android side of things, so it’s anyone’s game in the second half of 2020.
