Releasing new high-end watches and a kids’ smartwatch, Huawei saw its Q4 smartwatch shipments double quarter over quarter thanks to the release of the Watch GT 3 and Watch Fit Mini.
Gurman says that the only new health-related feature that he sees being added to the Apple Watch Series 8 is one that measures a user’s body temperature.
The global smartwatch market saw shipments rise 24% year-over-year in 2021. The world’s second-largest smartphone market, India, saw its share of smartwatch shipments rise from 3% in 2020 to 10% in 2021, a 274% increase.
Counterpoint Associate Director Sujeong Lim said, “The global smartwatch market’s good growth in 2021 is meaningful in itself, but it is more meaningful in that it makes us look forward to future growth. With their ability to monitor important health parameters like blood pressure, ECG and SPO2, these devices are becoming popular. Further, the attractiveness of smartwatches as independent wearable devices will increase if more of them start supporting cellular connectivity.”