Trackers, sports watches, Smartwatches: our wrists seem increasingly full of these small items whose sales will explode this year, according to Gfk …
The figures speak for themselves. According to Gfk, which just introduced its latest forecast in MedPi fair held this week in Monaco, the market for products that are connected to the wrist truly took off. Trackers of activities, sports watches and watches connected attract consumers. In 2014, the sector reported 90 million euros to the manufacturers. This amount is expected to jump to 240 million euros this year.
A potential 5 million connected watches
Thus, sales of trackers will in France will increase to 750 000 pieces in 2015 (against 200,000 in 2014). These sports watches will reach 350,000 units (against 250 000). In turn, sales of smartwatches connected will jump from 190 000 to 700 000, Apple Watch included. However, the latter category is the one that raises the most questions. According to Gfk, the sales potential of the connected smartwatches would be at most 5 million pieces per year in France. But for it to reach such heights, manufacturers must according to the Gfk solve problems of autonomy of their products, the connected watches needing to be recharged daily. “As long as this is so, we will remain on a relatively small market,” warns François Klipflel, Deputy General Manager at GfK.
The buzz around Apple Watch down
The institute also states that sales of connected smartwatches, await new features, like contactless payment or geotagging in the outlets to arouse more enthusiasm among the public. Meanwhile, and in the absence of news on the side of the connected Android watches will require close monitoring of sales of Apple Watch. “The buzz has declined significantly over time,” says François Klipflel. He “after the excitation of the first few days, it appears that the bellows is a little drifting back”.
