Xiaomi Overtook Apple in Q2 2021 Wearable Band Shipments [Report]

Xiaomi overtook Apple to be come the top-shipping wearable band vendor in Q2 2021, reports Canalys.

The second quarter saw the global wearable band market grow 5.6% year over year with 40.9 million units shipped. Notably, the market for basic bands fell 23.8% to 15.5 million units while basic watch and smartwatch shipments were up 37.9% to 25.4 million units. Wristwatches now account for 62% of wearable band shipments.

Canalys notes that Xiaomi’s performance was bolstered by the launch of the Mi Smart Band 6, despite the band not initially launching in India.

“Xiaomi made a wise move to hasten the release of the Mi Band 6, which is a more compelling device than its predecessor,” said Canalys Research Analyst Cynthia Chen. “Xiaomi’s quick pivot to basic watches also helped the company boost its wristwatch shipments by 1.3 million units this quarter.”

Apple still retains its lead in the wristwatch market with a 31.1% share, compared to Huawei in second at 9%.

“Vendors are attempting to make a big generational leap in smartwatch technologies. To stand out, they are improving the fundamentals, such as user experience and battery life, creating their own distinct UIs and leveraging their respective ecosystems to draw out new and unique use cases,” said Canalys Research Manager Jason Low. “But health tracking is the most prominent use case for smartwatches. The ability to deliver cutting-edge health-tracking features and to offer users meaningful data and actionable health insights will set winners and losers apart.”

“It is vital that vendors invest in next-generation health sensors and developing in-house algorithms and solutions to not only track vital biomarkers, but also to ensure good accuracy and reliability. Vendors should focus on giving users insights into health trends involving data collected over a longer period of time, so that they can understand how their lifestyles are affecting their wellbeing.”

More details in the full report linked below…

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