Smart wearables set to rise five-fold

Shipments of smart wearable devices are set to rise five-fold over the course of the second half of 2013, according to analyst forecasts.

Just over 200,000 smart wearable band devices, such as smartwatches, were shipped in 1H13. However, the number shipped in 2H13 is expected to see an increase of more than 500 per cent, according to analyst firm Canalys.

Korean vendor Samsung alone shipped more than 800,000 units of its Galaxy Gear smartwatch in the first two months after it launched in late September. According to Chris Jones, VP and principal analyst at Canalys, the vendor has established itself as the market leader in this new device segment – but it is not alone.

‘Pebble continues to grow rapidly with its smart watch,” Jones added. “iOS 7 integration and an updated SDK with additional APIs give Pebble’s partners a great opportunity to increase the watch’s appeal while maintaining its excellent battery life.’

Analyst Daniel Matte claimed that the market for smart wearables is dynamic and that this device category is “going to look very different in 12 months’ time”.

“A successful wearable device depends on the connectivity of a smart phone, which increasingly serves as the new digital hub for mobile users,” he added. “Wearables entail a unique set of constraints for vendors and platform owners more experienced with the smart phone and tablet markets.”