by Felix Richter, Statista.com
Ever since the tablet boom started to fade, many experts predicted wearable devices to be the next big thing in the tech industry.
A recent forecast by IDC seems to confirm that prediction: IDC’s analysts expect worldwide wearable device shipments to grow from 19.6 million units in 2014 to 45.7 million this year and reach 126.1 million units by 2019.
However, speaking of a wearables boom in general seems like a stretch when considering the numbers in more detail. According to IDC, the market’s growth will be fuelled almost exclusively by smart watches and wrist-worn fitness trackers, which are expected to account for 9 in 10 wearables shipped this year. Meanwhile no other type of wearable device is expected to break through to the mainstream anytime soon, as our chart nicely illustrates.
This chart shows a forecast of worldwide wearable device shipments.
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