The Apple Watch is now in its fifth iteration and seems to have hit its stride in terms of sales.
According to data from research company Strategy Analytics, the Apple Watch outsold the entire Swiss watch industry over the last 12 months. The company cites 31 million Apple Watch units shipped in 2019 against 21 million for all Swiss watch brands combined.
‘Traditional Swiss watch makers, like Swatch and Tissot, are losing the smartwatch wars,’ said Steven Waltzer, a senior analyst at Strategy Analytics.
‘Apple Watch is delivering a better product through deeper retail channels and appealing to younger consumers who increasingly want digital wristwear,’ he said.
‘The window for Swiss watch brands to make an impact in smartwatches is closing. Time may be running out for Swatch, Tissot, TAG Heuer, and others.’
Apple’s 2019 numbers are an increase on 2018, in which it’s estimated the company shipped 22.5 million Apple Watches. Of course, we need to take this all with just a pinch of salt because Apple doesn’t disclose its actual sales of the device.
Secondly, just because a device is shipped to retailers doesn’t mean it’s necessarily been sold. But given the dramatic difference in the above figures the smart money says that Apple is far ahead of traditional watchmakers when it comes to sales.
The most recent version of the Apple Watch was released in September 2019 and featured a number of improvements including an always-on display and an emergency calling function.
While it’s still an expensive bit of kit with prices starting at £399, Apple did cut the price of the Series 3 model down to £199 which may have helped augment sales.
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