Apple overtakes Xiaomi, Fitbit to become world’s largest wearable bands vendor in Q2

 Technology major Apple shipped 4.2 million units of Apple Watch to become the world’s leading vendor of wearable bands in the second quarter of 2015, according to Canalys estimates.

With 4.2 million shipments, Apple overtook Fitbit, Xiaomi and all the smart watch vendors, despite the Apple Watch’s significantly higher pricing.

‘The Apple Watch is the most sophisticated smart watch to date, and it has proved popular with Apple fans worldwide. But Apple and other vendors still face important challenges to make the smart watch a breakout hit. Improvements in performance, battery life and sensor integration are needed to make future models more attractive, but it is the quality of third-party apps that will determine whether the Apple Watch will be a long-term success,’ said Chris Jones, VP and Principal Analyst at Canalys.
Canalys said that early sales were hindered due to two factors. Firstly, Apple missed the Q4 2014 holiday season. Secondly, supply constraints stalled shipments for the first couple months after launch.

“Apple has done an excellent job designing its WatchKit SDK, which it delivered quickly and comprehensively. Native WatchKit extensions provide a capable developer platform without sacrificing battery life,” the firm said.