U.S. iPhone Buyers Are Twice as Likely as Android Buyers to Own a Smartwatch [Chart]

iPhone buyers in the U.S. are twice as likely as Android buyers to own a smartwatch, according to a new report from Consumer Intelligence Research Partners (CIRP).

CIRP analysis indicates 35% of US iPhone buyers have a smartwatch, compared to only 16% of US Android buyers (Chart 1). Among iPhone buyers, 19% have an Apple Watch, while 10% own a Fitbit. Among Android buyers, 4% own a Samsung watch, while 5% own a Fitbit.

“Among the relatively small share of all smartphone buyers that have any kind of smartwatch, iPhone buyers are twice as likely to own one than Android buyers,” said Josh Lowitz, CIRP Partner and Co-Founder. “Not surprisingly, Apple Watch is the leading smartwatch for iPhone buyers, while about half as many own a Fitbit. Until now, Fitbit was a neutral brand, but now becomes part of the Google-Android-Pixel-Nest universe. This creates an interesting new Android entry point into the Apple ecosystem, with a decent percentage of iPhone owners now using a wearable that becomes a more Android-friendly device. Also, among the small percentage of Android owners that have a smartwatch, Samsung and Fitbit have roughly equal shares.”




CIRP also found that in the 12 months ended September 30, 2019, 62% of smartphone buyers in the U.S. chose Android versus 38% for iOS.

“Android has a substantially larger installed base of smartphone users in the US,” said Mike Levin, CIRP Partner and Co-Founder. “With limited penetration of smartwatches among Android buyers, Google has a big opportunity to grow Fitbit as the Android smartwatch, and perhaps more importantly as a health monitor. New generation Apple Watches demonstrate growing consumer interest in health applications as the key to these wearables. Fitbit, now powered by Google, is well-positioned to tap that nascent interest in the Android ecosystem.”