Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Mobile
  3. News

Apple reclaims wearables crown with strong third-quarter Apple Watch sales

By

apple watch gps sales quarterly series 3 review 4
Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends
Apple, which is the world’s largest technology company, has now regained its spot as the world’s largest wearable manufacturer according to a new report by the research firm Canalys. The company reclaimed its spot from Chinese electronics giant Xiaomi in the most recent quarter, with Fitbit, Huawei, and Samsung rounding out the top five wearable manufacturers.

During its last quarterly conference call, Apple announced that sales of its wearable products, including Apple Watch, AirPods, and Beats, were up 75 percent year-over-year for the quarter. The sheer size of Apple’s wearable business alone would make it a Fortune 400 company.

Recommended Videos

In terms of the Apple Watch, the company did not release precise sales numbers but did note that its sales were up over 50 percent year-over year for the quarter. However, a new report from the research firm Canalys sheds some light on the number of Apple Watch sales.

Canalys estimates that Apple sold 3.9 million Apple Watches last quarter, with a sizable portion of those sales coming from the Apple Watch Series 3 GPS + Cellular model.

While Apple Watch sales increased overall in the third quarter, sales of the S3 GPS + Cellular model were especially remarkable. Sales of the S3 GPS + Cellular accounted for nearly a quarter of overall Apple Watch sales. Even with only a few weeks of availability in the quarter, Apple sold 800,000 S3 GPS + Cellular watches.

The demand for the Apple Watch Series 3 GPS + Cellular surprised many carriers and retailers. While some providers doubted the appeal of a cellular watch to consumers, sales of the S3 GPS + Cellular far exceeded expectations. In fact Canalys believes sales of this model did not reach their full potential in the quarter because limited availability due to retailers and carriers underestimating demand for the product.

Fourth quarter sales of the Apple Watch are expected to be even stronger compared to last year. Improvements to design and functionality are driving demand for Apple’s wearables. Canalys believes that better health tracking options, longer battery life, and, of course, the apparently very popular feature of cellular service will continue to increase the value and desirability of the Apple Watch to consumers moving forward.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Steven Winkelman
Steven Winkelman
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Steven writes about technology, social practice, and books. At Digital Trends, he focuses primarily on mobile and wearables…
Why you shouldn’t buy these 5 Apple Watch Series 9 alternatives
A person wearing the Apple Watch Series 9, showing the Snoopy watch face

Nike Globe watch face Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Not only are there a lot of smartwatches and fitness bands to choose from these days, but the Apple Watch range itself is surprisingly extensive — especially considering it began life with only a single model available. Simply put, it remains the best smartwatch to get if you own an iPhone.

Read more
Apple may have delayed a critical Apple Watch upgrade
Smart Stack on the Apple Watch Series 9.

It seems Apple’s highly anticipated display upgrades, especially for the Apple Watch, will have to wait a few more years. According to Bloomberg, Apple has shuttered in-house efforts to design and develop microLED panels that would have appeared on its smartwatches — and eventually more products down the road.

The current-gen Apple smartwatches rely on an OLED panel, but Apple has been eyeing microLED screens for the Apple Watch's future iterations. These in-house panels, which would have offered “brighter and more vibrant visuals,” were ultimately put on cold ice due to cost and complexity concerns.

Read more
Why you shouldn’t buy a new Apple Watch right now
The curved screen on the Apple Watch Series 9.

It has been over six months since the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 launched, and they are still considered two of the best smartwatches on the market. However, there are two significant reasons why you might not want to purchase either of these models.

Those reasons are the Apple Watch Series 8 and the first-generation Apple Watch Ultra. That's right — buying a 2022 Apple Watch over the newer models might be a better choice for you.
Why now's a great time to buy an old Apple Watch
The Apple Watch Series 9 (top) and Apple Watch Series 8 Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Read more