The Apple Watch has been available for fifteen months in the U.S. and eight other countries, and new data shows that sales have remained steady, despite the lack of a second-generation model.
Swiss bank UBS has issued a research note that projects Apple Watch sales totaled 1.7 million units in the June quarter, a somewhat surprising increase of 100,000 units compared to its estimate of 1.6 million sales in the March quarter.
The Apple Watch has a somewhat lengthy refresh cycle for an Apple product, being that the first model has bene available for fifteen months now, and no official “version 2” release date has been announced.
There have, of course been rumors of an Apple Watch 2, which is said to sport everything from a FaceTime camera, to improved Wi-Fi features, to cellular connectivity. The usual upgrades, such as an improved screen, fast processor, and increased memory have also all been bandied about.
UBS forecasts that Apple Watch sales will rise to 2 million in the September quarter, contributing to a total of 10.35 million units in the 2016 fiscal year. If those prediction come to fruition, Apple’s wearable would be the most popular smartwatch for the second straight year, and would make it second only to Fitbit in the broader wearables market.
Reports such as the UBS numbers should always be taken with a grain of salt(-free substitute), as Apple never officially announces Apple Watch sales numbers, instead lumping them into an “Other Products” category, which also includes iPods, Beats headphones, and other accessories.
