Apple Silently Becomes One Of The Most Influential Companies In The Smartwatch Industry

Somehow, despite the fact that Apple hasn’t even announced a smartwatch product, the company is still the second-most influential corporate entity in the smartwatch industry, just behind Samsung.

Samsung has already released a handful of different Smart Watch offerings, and Google, ranking third on Appinions Smart Watch Influencer report, has also shipped various hardware products. Still, the market waits with bated breath for what Apple might do. Despite silence. Remember, all Apple has said about smartwatches is “no comment.”

Behind Samsung, Apple, and Google, other smartwatch companies such as Motorola, LG, Acer, Pebble, Sony, Intel, and Microsoft close out the top ten.

Early entrants like Pebble are reportedly dropping off in terms of influence.

Perhaps more interesting, Tim Cook ranks third among influential executives in the smartwatch space, behind Nike CEO Mark Parker and Misfit Wearables CEO Sonny Vu, respectively.

As we’ve already discussed, Apple has yet to release a single product in the wearables space, but that’s not to say the company isn’t making moves. Apple has hired a handful of medical sensor experts, as well as Burberry’s CEO to head up retail, as well as a top Nike FuelBand designer.

But will Apple’s iWatch live up to the high standards already set for it? Or will it be yet another piece of $300 hardware stuffed in a drawer?

Editor’s Note: The data used in this report is taken from approximately 25,000 opinions relevant to the smartwatch industry between February 10 and May 9, 2014.