Gartner: Apple Watch to Propel Smartwatch Growth

The Apple Watch will drive increased adoption of smartwatches, Gartner believes. The space is growing rapidly, with 7/10 of the top smartphone vendors now operating in it, compared to 2 last year. By 2015, the ASP of Android watches will fall to $150 as Chinese OEMs and ODMs enter the market. By 2016, smartwatches will represent about 40% of all wrist-worn devices. Consumer experiences with these devices have become more positive in 2014 (better UIs, designs and targeted use-cases). Battery life is an area for improvement, however; the increased number of devices in users’ households is expected to reach a point that keeping them all charged will become a burden (our friend Paul Gray said something similar at the DisplaySearch Conference at IFA – TA).