Wearable technologies continue to rise in Turkey and across the world. Consisting of products such as Bluetooth headsets, activity trackers and smartwatches, wearable devices are gaining an increasingly wider place in people’s lives.
The size of the wearable device market in the world has reached $26.3 billion, according to data from the German-based statistics portal, Statista. The proportion of wearable devices around the world has doubled in three years, growing from 325 million in 2016 to 711 million in 2019. The number of these devices is estimated to increase to 1 billion by 2022.
Sales revenues in the wearble device market are projected to grow to $73 billion by 2022. Currently, Bluetooth headsets have the largest share, followed by fitness trackers and smartwatches, respectively. Smartwatches are expected to expand their position further. The number of smartwatches, currently 91 million units, is expected to reach 131 million by 2023.
The smartwatch sector continues to grow in Turkey as well. Anıl Öztekin, Samsung Electronics Turkey’s Strategy and Product Marketing Director in charge of Mobile Products, stated that a total of 141,000 smartwatches were sold in Turkey last year. "This equals to a market of $31 million. We expect it to soar to $35 million with a 12% rise this year," he was cited as saying by the Turkish daily Milliyet.
Stating that the smartwatch market will develop with the activation of e-SIM technology by 2020, Öztekin noted that e-SIM will enable almost all phone features in watches independently of phones.
On the other hand, Huawei Turkey Consumer Electronics Group Country Manager Seth Wang indicated that the smartwatch sector continues to grow year by year in Turkey which has a smaller market than Europe. "According to our research, consumers in Turkey are not aware of exactly what smartwatches can benefit them. The analysis revealed that raising consumers' awareness of the benefits of smartwatches is essential to the growth of the market," Wang told Milliyet.
Huawei also increases its number of smartwatch models in Turkey and is set to launch Watch GT 2 series to the market. The Watch GT 2 has 15 different sports modes – eight outdoor and seven indoor – and is capable of tracking pulse and movement 24 hours a day for two weeks.
NUMBER OF FEMALE USERS ON THE RISE
Highlighting that Samsung is a market leader which maintains its product range with various models it develops with the addition of new properties, Öztekin said: "Consumers tend to make their everyday life easier without compromising the classic look of the watch. On the other hand, demand for models that stand out with their design that can meet the needs of consumers with a sporty lifestyle is increasing day by day. Such users actively use their smartwatch during activities for a healthy life and while on the phone."
"In recent years, almost 80% of our users were men. When we look at today's rates, we see that female users are about to equal male users at nearly 50%. This change is of course due to the diversity of watch designs, the variety of color options on strap and watch bodies, the models with screen and thickness ratios suitable for women's wrist structure and the product range with attractive prices," he added.
Samsung launched the Galaxy Watch Active 2, its latest smartwatch model, in Turkey in September.