Apple Watch Estimated to Reach 100 Million Lifetime Shipments Soon Despite Weaker Demand Last Quarter

Apple Watch continued to lead the smartwatch industry with an estimated 5.2 million shipments worldwide in the first quarter of 2020, well ahead of Huawei, Samsung, Fitbit, and others, according to research firm Canalys.

apple watch close up
Canalys said the Apple Watch did see slow performance in North America and Europe during the quarter, however, which it attributes to Apple customers "switching their attention to AirPods as a 'must-have' accessory." Apple's market share declined to an estimated 36.3 percent for the quarter, down from 46.7 percent in the year-ago quarter.

Huawei trailed in second place with an estimated 2.1 million shipments and 14.9 percent market share for the quarter, followed by Samsung with an estimated 1.8 million shipments and 12.4 percent market share.

canalys watch 1q20
Canalys expects lifetime Apple Watch shipments to reach 100 million units within the next few months, five years after the device launched.

Apple does not provide a breakdown of Apple Watch sales in its earnings reports, so take these estimated figures with a proverbial grain of salt. Apple's "Wearables, Home and Accessories" category did set a new all-time revenue record of $6.3 billion last quarter, including sales of the Apple Watch, AirPods, Beats products, Apple TV, HomePod, iPod touch, and both Apple-branded and third-party accessories.

Related Roundup: Apple Watch 11
Tag: Canalys
Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Buy Now)

Popular Stories

iOS 26

15 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 26.2

Friday December 5, 2025 9:40 am PST by
Apple is about to release iOS 26.2, the second major point update for iPhones since iOS 26 was rolled out in September, and there are at least 15 notable changes and improvements worth checking out. We've rounded them up below. Apple is expected to roll out iOS 26.2 to compatible devices sometime between December 8 and December 16. When the update drops, you can check Apple's servers for the ...
Intel Inside iPhone Feature

Apple's Return to Intel Rumored to Extend to iPhone

Friday December 5, 2025 10:08 am PST by
Intel is expected to begin supplying some Mac and iPad chips in a few years, and the latest rumor claims the partnership might extend to the iPhone. In a research note with investment firm GF Securities this week, obtained by MacRumors, analyst Jeff Pu said he and his colleagues "now expect" Intel to reach a supply deal with Apple for at least some non-pro iPhone chips starting in 2028....
ive and altman

Jony Ive's OpenAI Device Barred From Using 'io' Name

Friday December 5, 2025 6:22 am PST by
A U.S. appeals court has upheld a temporary restraining order that prevents OpenAI and Jony Ive's new hardware venture from using the name "io" for products similar to those planned by AI audio startup iyO, Bloomberg Law reports. iyO sued OpenAI earlier this year after the latter announced its partnership with Ive's new firm, arguing that OpenAI's planned "io" branding was too close to its...
iPhone 17 Pro Cosmic Orange

10 Reasons to Wait for Next Year's iPhone 18 Pro

Monday December 1, 2025 2:40 am PST by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models at the same time, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 18 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. One thing worth...
iPhone 14 Pro Dynamic Island

iPhone 18 Pro Leak Adds New Evidence for Under-Display Face ID

Monday December 8, 2025 4:54 am PST by
Apple is actively testing under-screen Face ID for next year's iPhone 18 Pro models using a special "spliced micro-transparent glass" window built into the display, claims a Chinese leaker. According to "Smart Pikachu," a Weibo account that has previously shared accurate supply-chain details on Chinese Android hardware, Apple is testing the special glass as a way to let the TrueDepth...
Photos App Icon Liquid Glass

John Gruber Shares Scathing Commentary About Apple's Departing Software Design Chief

Thursday December 4, 2025 9:30 am PST by
In a statement shared with Bloomberg on Wednesday, Apple confirmed that its software design chief Alan Dye will be leaving. Apple said Dye will be succeeded by Stephen Lemay, who has been a software designer at the company since 1999. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced that Dye will lead a new creative studio within the company's AR/VR division Reality Labs. On his blog Daring Fireball,...
maxresdefault

iPhone Fold: Launch, Pricing, and What to Expect From Apple's Foldable

Monday December 1, 2025 3:00 am PST by
Apple is expected to launch a new foldable iPhone next year, based on multiple rumors and credible sources. The long-awaited device has been rumored for years now, but signs increasingly suggest that 2026 could indeed be the year that Apple releases its first foldable device. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Below, we've collated an updated set of key details that ...
Johny Srouji

Apple Chip Chief Johny Srouji Could Be Next to Go as Exodus Continues

Sunday December 7, 2025 10:41 am PST by
Apple's senior vice president of hardware technologies Johny Srouji could be the next leading executive to leave the company amid an alarming exodus of leading employees, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports. Srouji apparently recently told CEO Tim Cook that he is "seriously considering leaving" in the near future. He intends to join another company if he departs. Srouji leads Apple's chip design ...
Apple John Ternus 2019

Will John Ternus Really Be Apple's Next CEO?

Friday December 5, 2025 9:01 am PST by
There is uncertainty about Apple's head of hardware engineering John Ternus succeeding Tim Cook as CEO, The Information reports. Some former Apple executives apparently hope that a new "dark-horse" candidate will emerge. Ternus is considered to be the most likely candidate to succeed Cook as CEO. The report notes that he is more likely to become CEO than software head chief Craig Federighi, ...
ios 18 to ios 26 upgrade

Apple Pushes iPhone Users Still on iOS 18 to Upgrade to iOS 26

Tuesday December 2, 2025 11:09 am PST by
Apple is encouraging iPhone users who are still running iOS 18 to upgrade to iOS 26 by making the iOS 26 software upgrade option more prominent. Since iOS 26 launched in September, it has been displayed as an optional upgrade at the bottom of the Software Update interface in the Settings app. iOS 18 has been the default operating system option, and users running iOS 18 have seen iOS 18...

Top Rated Comments

CarlJ Avatar
72 months ago
Yep, another Apple failure, totally doomed, nobody will buy it.
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
cmaier Avatar
72 months ago

Still a disposable watch as no way to replace battery.
Some years of use and it becomes a piece of trash.
Apple and various repair shops can replace the battery.
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Slothosaurus Avatar
72 months ago

If I can't replace the battery by myself I consider it disposable.
And as seen in this tutorial, no way most of Apple Watch owner will follow these dangerous and difficult steps: https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Apple+Watch+Battery+Replacement/41080
So you are saying its disposable without being able to replace the battery yourself, and then post a guide to replacing the battery yourself?
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Justin Cymbal Avatar
72 months ago
Apple definitely did a great job with the Apple Watch! It’s definitely the best smart watch out there and as far as fitness goes, it’s definitely the best for keeping people healthy!

I have the fifth generation Apple Watch and it works great! I use it every day when I go for walks around my neighborhood with my dog
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
djcerla Avatar
72 months ago
And it’s only the beginning. I struggle to see how people will NOT wear life-saving devices ten years from now.


Still a disposable watch as no way to replace battery.
Some years of use and it becomes a piece o trash
You managed to achieve a perfect 100% false score.
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
cmaier Avatar
72 months ago

If I can't replace the battery by myself I consider it disposable.
And as seen in this tutorial, no way most of Apple Watch owner will follow these dangerous and difficult steps: https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Apple+Watch+Battery+Replacement/41080
The fact that "you consider it disposable" does not make it so.

I consider cars useless unless they fly.
I consider bacon useless unless it has negative calories.
I consider smartphones useless unless they have socketed CPUs.

See how that works?

There are many devices in the world that don't let the user easily replace batteries themselves. That doesn't mean they are disposable - it just means that there is a maintenance procedure that is better performed by professionals.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)