The wearable devices market is having a slow but steady growth with the last quarter showing a 3.1 percent increase. IDC’s latest Worldwide Quarterly Wearable Device Tracker reveal that vendors sold nearly 23 million wearables in Q3.
Fitbit led the market with 5.6 million units shipped. That’s an 11 percent increase from the same quarter in 2015 when the company shipped 4.8 million devices.
It was followed by Xiaomi which took second place with 1.3 million units shipped and Apple and Samsung taking the fifth place with 1 million units shipped.
“Where smartwatches were once expected to take the lead, basic wearables now reign supreme. Simplicity is a driving factor and this is well reflected in the top vendor list as four out of five offer a simple, dedicated fitness device,” said Jitesh Ubrani, senior research analyst for IDC Mobile Device Trackers.
Jitesh notes that many devices are focusing on fashion first while allowing the technology to blend in with the background.
Basic wearables, mostly fitness bands, accounted for 85% of the market. IDC is confident that the holiday season will further lead to a surge in sales till next quarter.
IDC expects Fitbit to continue leading the pack in the near term. “The acquisition of Coin and the potential to expand into the smartwatch category present an opportunity for the company to be more than just a fitness brand,” the report stated.
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