Apple Watch takes 71 percent share of teen market, iPhone remains strong, study says
Apple's mobile product lines continue to perform well with the all important U.S. teen demographic, as a new spring 2016 survey put Apple Watch far ahead in the nascent smartwatch game, while iPhone exhibited expectedly consistent growth.
According to fresh numbers from Piper Jaffray's Teen Survey, only 12 percent of respondents owned a wrist-wearable device as of spring 2016. However, of those who did purchase a smartwatch, Apple Watch was the dominant player, capturing a whopping 71-percent marketshare. Analyst Gene Munster notes the trend toward Watch is unsurprising given the device tethers to market leader iPhone.
Interestingly, the share of teens who actually own a smartwatch is below anticipated just before Apple Watch was unveiled in 2014. At the time, the investment bank noted teen interest in a $350 "iWatch" device stood at 16 percent, while only 7 percent of participants owned a smartwatch.
Moving to the mature smartphone sector, 69 percent of teen respondents owned an iPhone, up from 67 percent last fall. Anticipated ownership is also on the rise, as 75 of teens expect iPhone to be their next smartphone purchase, a number up one percent from the prior period.
Finally, tablet ownership followed industry trends and declined for the third consecutive Teen Survey, falling to 59 percent from 61 percent in fall of last year. Apple's iPad remained in the lead with a 64 percent share, down one percent from the preceding period, while intent to buy increased to 63 percent from 58 percent. Overall, only 13 percent of participants who did not own a tablet last fall plan to buy one in the next six months.
Munster believes the slight bump in intent can be explained by Apple's recent launch of a 9.7-inch iPad Pro with support for Smart Keyboard and Apple Pencil. Additionally, Apple is positioning its new iPad Pro as an affordable and capable desktop replacement, an enticing prospect to college-bound teens.
According to fresh numbers from Piper Jaffray's Teen Survey, only 12 percent of respondents owned a wrist-wearable device as of spring 2016. However, of those who did purchase a smartwatch, Apple Watch was the dominant player, capturing a whopping 71-percent marketshare. Analyst Gene Munster notes the trend toward Watch is unsurprising given the device tethers to market leader iPhone.
Interestingly, the share of teens who actually own a smartwatch is below anticipated just before Apple Watch was unveiled in 2014. At the time, the investment bank noted teen interest in a $350 "iWatch" device stood at 16 percent, while only 7 percent of participants owned a smartwatch.
Moving to the mature smartphone sector, 69 percent of teen respondents owned an iPhone, up from 67 percent last fall. Anticipated ownership is also on the rise, as 75 of teens expect iPhone to be their next smartphone purchase, a number up one percent from the prior period.
Finally, tablet ownership followed industry trends and declined for the third consecutive Teen Survey, falling to 59 percent from 61 percent in fall of last year. Apple's iPad remained in the lead with a 64 percent share, down one percent from the preceding period, while intent to buy increased to 63 percent from 58 percent. Overall, only 13 percent of participants who did not own a tablet last fall plan to buy one in the next six months.
Munster believes the slight bump in intent can be explained by Apple's recent launch of a 9.7-inch iPad Pro with support for Smart Keyboard and Apple Pencil. Additionally, Apple is positioning its new iPad Pro as an affordable and capable desktop replacement, an enticing prospect to college-bound teens.
Comments
Apple did make sacrifices and forced to tether the watch to the iPhone for the sake of battery life.
Which brings me to the most legitimate criticism of the watch. Not speed, but battery life.
The watch has a sufficient battery for those who are able to charge it up every night. However, not everyone can.
When Apple builds the S2 on the most advanced manufacturing node, most of the issues will be addressed. The 28 nm Samsung process doesn't offer the performance or power consumption of TSMC's 16 nm FF with upcoming InFO process.
I myself may purchase a generation 2 watch if the watch is able to make calls independent from a phone. Pop in a Bluetooth headset and I would be good to go.
There is great potential in the watch. I am just not interested in the current version. I wasn't interested in the newly released iPod either all those years ago. And we know how that turned out.
I never wear watches. I hate things on my wrist—I'm weird like that. The first time I saw an Apple Watch in person on a friend I hadn't seen in a while I was struck by how beautiful is was. Trust Ive to create a beautiful wearable object.
It was also smaller and thinner than expected. Then I saw a Moto 360 and noticed right away how ugly and unimaginative the design was. I would say gaudy would be the perfect word to describe it.
As for AW, slowness is a legitimate complaint though from what I hear from owners within the Apple tech community. I'm glad they are improving internals this time round and not making it thinner of making superfluous design changes. The watch ideally would be a few times faster than it is now with at least similar but preferably improved battery life. The speed of the device at this point is not quite good enough IMO.
As for the AW, it will take over. It is the by-product of an over-larged iPhone in the pocket. I especially feel the need for one when I travel. I am constantly asking my wife the time.
The problem is I like the SS varieties (especially the Hermes) and I am not going to drop that type of money on a first generation device. But when AW enters generation 2 or 3, I'm dropping serious $ (because now my wife wants one too).
I think there are many people like me. And those teenagers are going to be buying iPhones every 1-4 years for the foreseeable future. Apple will do well unlike what WS thinks.
And you want to know something else? I want two iPhones. A 4 inch SE for work and a plus sized version for off-work time. When Apple realizes their are people like me out there, no one will care about sagging iPad sales...
I prefer the aluminum body over stainless steel; I just don't like shiny metal, not on my car, not on my kitchen and bath fixtures, and not on my wrist. But I also want maximum durability. So give me a Sport model with the Sapphire face. Charge me $100 more for that. I'll pay it.
A leather band option for the aluminum Sport Watch body. Currently, the leather bands have stainless steel where they attach to the watch body.
Larger app icons so I'll stop hitting the wrong one when trying to open an app.