CANBERRA: Apple has launched its smart watch in Australia to grasp the wearable market in Australia from Samsung who already has tighten its root in wearable Australian markets.
According to a survey over 40 percent of Australian use to wear a watch and experts expected over $400 million increase in the overall wearable market by the end of 2018. Australia’s smartwatch market is set to at least double in 2015.
Telsyste managing director Foad Fadaghi told Technology Spectator he expects about 300,000 Apple Watches will make it to Australia, potentially leading to shortages as he expects all units to sell out.
Apple’s Watch is set for release this April and while Samsung is the current smartwatch leader in Australia it will struggle to match the hype and numbers Apple will command this year.
“Around 40 per cent of Australians wear a watch every day,” Mr Fadaghi said. “There is a lot of anticipation for the Apple Watch and our research indicates half of all smart fitness band users are looking to upgrade to a smartwatch, creating a potentially vibrant new product category” Fadaghi says.
He said the research found the top three applications people want from a smartwatch are to check the time and date, to use it as an alarm clock or a reminder alert, and to read messages including email.
The overall local wearables market is set to exceed $400 million by 2018 made up of not only smartwatches but also fitness bands, which sold over 800,000 locally in 2014.
Meanwhile, Telsyte’s research also found there were 16.8 million smartphone users in Australia at the end of December 2014 with sales of just below 5 million units in the second half of 2014.
This was around 10 per cent less than Telsyte expected over H2, despite very strong iPhone 6 sales.
Telsyte senior analyst Alvin Lee said the iPhone gained market share in H2 2014, but the overall share trends are likely to change again as an Android-users upgrade cycle in expected to commence in early 2015.
However, Telsyte has recognised increased competition to Android device by older model iPhones, typically received through a “hand-me-down”.
“The durability of handsets and the hand-me-down phenomenon is impacting the market, along with a flood of second-hand iPhones cutting into sales of mid-tier Android handsets in the second half of 2014,” Lee said.
Telsyte estimated 1.3 million iPhone 6 and 6 Plus units sold in Australia last year, with the iPhone 6 outselling the iPhone 6 Plus, at a ratio four to one. The analyst firm believes the demand for phablets is growing and will represent around a quarter of smartphones in use by 2019.
