Global unit shipments of smart wristbands 2016-2022

Shipments of smart wristbands in 2019 are forecast to exceed 40 million units and account for around 18 percent of the overall number of wearable devices shipped worldwide. Smart wristband shipments are expected to grow by an average of seven percent over the next few years, a much slower rate than shipments of other wearables such as smartwatches and ear-worn devices.

Why are smart wristband shipments increasing?

Sales of smartphones are forecast to decline for the first ever time in 2019 as the industry reaches a saturation point. Consumers are more content than ever to hold on to their existing phones, seeing no big hurry to upgrade or change model. Parallelly, people are looking to spend their money on alternative devices and the wearables industry is benefitting – sales of wearable devices are forecast to increase by around 13 billion U.S. dollars each year for the next three years. Activity trackers have proved particularly popular among consumers given a growing interest in personal health, fitness, and wellbeing.

Has the bubble burst for fitness trackers?

Smart wristbands, also known as smart bracelets, are devices such as fitness trackers that provide the user with various functions like counting steps, measuring distance, and monitoring heart rate. Shipments of smart wristbands are continuing to grow – albeit slowly – but as more and more people turn to health apps on their smartphones and smartwatches, the revenue of Fitbit and other wristband manufacturers may drop further.