Planet Earth is bullish on wearables. The latest International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Wearable Device Tracker outlines a continued upward trend year-over-year. Total wearable shipments during 2019’s first quarter increased by 55.2% from Q1 2018. Of the 49.6 million units shipped during Q1 2019, 63.2% were wrist-worn devices and 34.6% were ear-worn, which means all other formats accounted for only 2.2% for all wearable shipments worldwide during the quarter.
Ear-worn devices had the highest growth of all form factors, with a 135.1% increase in Q1 2019 compared to the same Q1 2018. IDC analysts attribute the singular growth of ear-worn devices to the removal of headphone jacks and the expanding use of smart assistance. Wrist-worn devices continue to emphasize health and fitness, a focus that appeals both to users and health insurance companies. As the smartwatches and fitness bands add new health and fitness monitoring and reporting capabilities, the market for wrist-worn devices keeping growing. During Q1 2019, wristwear shipments increased 31.6% over 2018.
Five companies dominate wearables shipments so far this year, shipping an aggregate of 63.7% of all devices worldwide. The same companies led the pack during Q4 2018, the quarter in which sales run high due to holiday gift-giving, and Q1 2018. During Q1, Apple shipped 12.8 million units (25.8% of the total market), Xiaomi 6.6 million (13.3%), Huawei 5.0 million (10.0%), Samsung 4.3 million (8.7%), and Fitbit 2.9 million (5.9%).
IDC and Gartner both predict that head-worn displays will command major wearable market share in the future, but for now, wrist-worn and ear-worn devices own the field.
