While you might think the introduction of the Apple Watch might have hurt the sales of other iOS-compatible smartwatches, such as the Pebble, that’s not the case, says Pebble CEO Eric Migicovsky.
Migicovsky told CNBC that the debut of the Apple Watch has actually helped sales of the Pebble smartwatch lineup, thanks to the increased awareness of wearable devices brought about by the introduction of Apple’s new wrist-worn device. He says his company is selling twice the number of smartwatches that it was at the same time last year.
“Apple has brought a ton of attention to this space,” Migicovsky told CNBC at the Dublin Web Summit on Wednesday.
“We’ve actually seen no material impact from Apple entering the space on our sales. In fact we’re selling two (times) the amount this year than we were last year,” he added.
Officials at Fitbit made similar statements earlier this week, when they said hey had seen no “material impact” on sales of their devices thanks to the debut of the Apple Watch.
Both companies believe they are targeting a different consumer than that attracted by Apple’s higher-end wearables, with Fitbit targeted at those with an active lifestyle, while Pebble is positioned as an affordable smartwatch option.
“They are very focused on being the Rolex or the (Tag Heuer) of smartwatches. On the other hand I think we are trying to be the Swatch of smartwatches,” Migicovsky said. “We are building something that’s fun, a little bit more colorful. It’s affordable. At the core, it’s just a different type of watch.”
While the smartwatch market has remained small this year, the debut of the Apple Watch has greatly increased sales in the still growing market.
(Via AppleInsider)
