Smartwatch shipments jumped a very healthy 48 percent year over year in the first quarter of 2019, according to a new Counterpoint research note. Interestingly, the top nine brands account for 75 percent of the market.
“The heart rate sensor for health monitoring, GPS and pedometer sensors for fitness, and NFC embedded for payment are some of the key integrated technologies,” says Counterpoint research analyst Satyajit Sinha. “Related use-cases and in addition to notifications with cellular capability are driving the smartwatch adoption. However, limited battery life remains a pain point for consumer’s decision-making process, irrespective of region and price band.”