Apple Watch Nearly 3X More Popular than Samsung Smartwatches

According to the latest data from market research firm IDC, Apple Watch sales totaled an estimated 1.6 million units in the second quarter, compared to Samsung’s estimated 600,000 smartwatch sales during the March – June quarter.

If these numbers are true, it suggests that the Apple Watch is nearly three times more popular than competing Samsung smartwatches.

Despite a down quarter, Apple remains far and away the market leader in smartwatches. Apple faces the same challenges as other OEMs, but the pure exposure of the device and brand through tactical marketing gives it a leg up on the competition. Watch 2.0, along with updates to watchOS, could help drive existing user refresh and more importantly, a new wave of first-time buyers.

According to IDC, the overall smartwatch market experienced its first-ever decline as total shipments fell about 32 percent in the second quarter with a total of 3.5 million units compared to 5.1 million units a year ago.

The Apple Watch is rumored to debut later this fall next to the iPhone 7. If the rumors are true, we could see a big jump in Apple Watch sales going into the holiday quarter, something that even Apple CEO Tim Cook hinted at during the last earnings call.

It’s still early days for the smartwatch market, but Apple seems to be holding up really well. I continue to see more and more Apple Watches daily, suggesting that its popularity is growing as people learn more about its features.