According to new numbers posted by IDC, smartwatch shipments are down for the second quarter of this year, marking the first drop of its kind. And it’s not insignificant falloff – moving from 5.1 million a year ago to 3.5 million this quarter. That’s a 32-percent decline.
The culprit seems pretty clear for the research firm. IDC lays the blame squarely at the Apple’s feet. While the hardware giant managed to maintain its position at the top of the leaderboard (from 3.6 to 1.6 million), it was the only company in the top five to experience a year-over-year loss, while Samsung, Lenovo, LG and Garmin either stayed flat or made a modest gain.
IDC notes that the number is due in part to the fact that the Q2 2015 was when the first Apple Watch launched, no doubt a significant driver in its huge numbers. The firm also blames the stagnation on consumer anticipation for a followup from the company, with consumers holding off on purchase until Apple refreshes the device, likely later this year.