Analyst predicts 24 Million Apple Watches will be sold by the end of 2015
A growing number of market analysts have revealed their predictions on how many Apple Watch units will sell in 2015, from a low 10 million units, according to Piper Jaffray’s Gene Munster, to 30-60 Million units according to Morgan Stanley’s Katy Huberty. The average number of units extrapolated from this chart revealed by AppleInsider, points to a very likely 24 Million units, by the end of 2015.
Beyond the numbers
Even the least optimistic Gene Munster, seems very confident in the tech giant’s incoming smartwatch. The vote of confidence from market analysts across the board is no coincidence: such predictions go hand-in-hand with recurring consumer trends showing how iPhone users are particularly faithful to the brand.
The advantage of benefiting from an ecosystem that spans from iOS to OS X, and that includes services like Apple Pay, and HealthKit, represents the incentive users need to see the Apple Watch as more than a simple accessory. By the time Apple Pay reaches appropriate momentum, Apple Watch could become even more crucial to the success of future iPhone devices.
According to UBS analyst Steve Milunovich, one in ten iPhone users will likely buy an Apple Watch, this according to a survey conducted among 1,864 iPhone users from the US and the UK.
Considering a probable 315 million iPhones sold by 2015, the Apple Watch could reach at the very least 10% market penetration, calculated at approximately 24 Million units.
Beyond the iPhone
Wearable technology is about to flood the market with new, exciting possibilities. The smartwatch itself is not a new thing, it has been around for a little while, but Apple managed to make it popular, and waited long enough to know it would be. The Apple Watch takes the concept of the smartwatch a step beyond a simple paired bluetooth device, way beyond a smartphone “assistant”, designated to pick up calls, provide quick peeks at incoming emails, and remind appointments. The applications and range of devices compatible with the Apple Watch is growing.
By the time the iWatch is officially available to the masses, users will discover how much more use they will get from it. Fitness tracking and Apple Pay checkout are just a few of the applications that will make this device valuable to iPhone users, especially when they discover how the watch interacts with the entire range of devices, like Apple TV, iPad and Mac products, whose compatibility might not be official, but it is expected to be at least within a limited, yet useful range.
Let’s not forget enterprise
The business world will be even more open to new ways to enhance productivity and save precious time. Business executives are expected to evaluate wearable tech very closely: especially a wrist-worn device that can provide at-a-glance mission-critical information.
Let’s not forget that Apple and IBM are about to reveal a wealth of enterprise-class mobile applications and products, and this could mean a huge opportunity for the enterprise sector to adopt wearable technology, especially when backed by two of the most innovative and powerful tech companies in the world.