On the eve of Apple's September 9 special event, the Financial Times has released a new look at how Apple is impacting the wearable market despite not having officially announced its first wearable product. Specifically, the paper cites Forrester Research, who notes Apple could sell 10 million iWatches in its first year, which would make it the best-selling wrist-based wearable ever.

applecountdown12hours

Forrester Research believes Apple will sell as many as 10m iWatches in its first year. That, Forrester says, is more than all the other manufacturers of wrist-based wearables have sold to date, including Nike’s Fuelband fitness tracker, Samsung’s Gear smartwatches and devices by younger companies such as Fitbit and Jawbone.

Other analysts, like Morgan Stanley, predict that Apple could sell as many as 30 - 60 million iWatches within the first year. Both research firms predict that Apple would lead the wearable market, with Forrester Research analysts James McQuivey and JP Gownder saying that only Google and Amazon would be "close behind", while everyone else would be the equivalent of the "next Flipcam, Palm Pilot or Nook eReader".

Late last week, Sung-jin Lee, LG's director of watch product planning, told Reuters that Apple offering its own wearable product would expand the market. Sunny Lee, CEO of Samsung Europe, agreed, noting that that is "what [Samsung] wanted". While it doesn't seem like LG and Samsung's comments corroborate McQuivey and Gownder's prediction, it does seem to indicate that both companies think that Apple could give the wearable market a boost.

Today's event, which looks to be one of the biggest Apple events in some time, will begin at 10 a.m. PST. The company is expected to debut its long-rumored wearable and a brand new mobile payment initiative alongside the debut of the iPhone 6 in both 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch varieties.

Top Rated Comments

flytech123 Avatar
136 months ago
Apple could sell 10 million unannounced products in one year! Wow! I really want their job making this stuff up. Where do I apply?
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Thunderstrike76 Avatar
136 months ago
The future of the iPod

Am I the only one who thinks the "iwatch" will in fact be the new generation "iPod". The iPod makes up 1 percent of their revenue. What will they do when it drops below 1 percent in a few years? Kill off the iPod line? They have to evolve that product line some how. Turn it in to a wearable. I think this is the answer. iPod. iPhone. iPad. No more, no less. No fourth category of device.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
carrrrrlos Avatar
136 months ago
I'd love to get paid to guess all day long.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
nepalisherpa Avatar
136 months ago
Let Apple release them first! :rolleyes:
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
newyorksole Avatar
136 months ago
Lmaoooo you gotta be kidding me . These analysts are really annoying . How TF is he able to draw that conclusion ?!
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
DoubleU Avatar
136 months ago
So a product you've never seen, whose functions you know nothing about could sell between 10 and 60 million units. What's your opinion on toaster-fridges?
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

2007 iPhone

Apple Discontinuing This 18-Year-Old iPhone Feature

Saturday February 8, 2025 3:51 pm PST by
The end of an 18-year era is on the horizon for the iPhone. Apple reportedly plans to announce a new iPhone SE as soon as next week, and the device is expected to feature a full-screen design with Face ID, instead of a Touch ID home button. That means Apple will no longer sell any new iPhone models with a home button, for the first time since the original iPhone launched. The home button...
oppo find n5 fingers

World's Thinnest Foldable Phone Launches Next Week

Monday February 10, 2025 3:05 am PST by
Oppo has confirmed a February 20 global launch for its Find N5, which the company claims is the world's thinnest device in the foldable phone category. The phone is expected to be re-branded as the OnePlus Open 2 in the US. The Chinese vendor has been teasing the device in the last few weeks, touting its waterproofing and nearly invisible display crease, and highlighting its thinness by compa...
m2 macbook air blue

M4 MacBook Air Release Continues to Appear Imminent

Monday February 10, 2025 10:56 am PST by
There continue to be signs of a new MacBook Air with an M4 chip, indicating that we could see the machine launch in the not too distant future. A private account on X today shared the identifiers that the MacBook Air will use, and those identifiers correspond to the M4 chip. According to the source, both the 13-inch MacBook Air and the 15-inch MacBook Air will be equipped with Apple's...
iCloud General Feature Redux

iPhone Users Who Pay for iCloud Storage Receive an All-New Perk

Thursday February 6, 2025 11:21 am PST by
If you pay for iCloud storage on your iPhone, Apple has a new perk for you, at no additional cost. iCloud+ is the official name for Apple's paid iCloud storage plans, which range from 50GB for $0.99 per month to 12TB for $59.99 per month in the United States. iCloud+ plans already come with multiple perks for free, such as Hide My Email and HomeKit Secure Video, and now there is another one...
imac video apple feature

Apple to Announce New Products Next Week

Saturday February 8, 2025 10:55 am PST by
Apple has yet to release any new devices in 2025, but at least two new products are expected to be announced next week, according to rumors. Below, we outline the new Apple products that are likely to be unveiled next week. iPhone SE 4 Apple plans to announce the long-rumored iPhone SE 4 as soon as next week, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. The new iPhone SE is rumored to...
apple silicon mac lineup 2024 feature purple

Apple Increases Mac Trade-In Values for a Limited Time

Sunday February 9, 2025 3:53 pm PST by
Apple today increased its estimated trade-in values for select Mac models in the United States, with the full changes outlined below. Apple says the extra trade-in credit for select Macs is available with the purchase of an eligible new Apple device through April 2. The trade-in values increased by between $10 and $50. Model New Value Old Value MacBook Pro Up to $925 ...
iOS 18

iOS 18.4 Will Include These New Features for Your iPhone

Wednesday February 5, 2025 7:15 am PST by
iOS 18.3 was released last month, so the first iOS 18.4 beta should be coming soon. iOS 18.4 is expected to be a more substantial update for the iPhone, with several new features and changes related to Apple Intelligence and beyond. Apple's website suggests that iOS 18.4 will be released in April, following beta testing. Below, we outline what to expect from the update so far. Apple...
Powerbeats Pro 2 Orange

Powerbeats Pro 2 Given to Customer Early, Expected to Debut Tomorrow

Monday February 10, 2025 7:42 am PST by
Apple's long-awaited Powerbeats Pro 2 are finally expected to be announced this Tuesday. Ahead of time, one lucky Walmart customer was able to get their hands on the earbuds early, according to a since-deleted Reddit post over the weekend. A leaked image of the Powerbeats Pro 2 in Electric Orange "My local Walmart had them in the cage," the Reddit user explained. "I asked if I can buy them...