Apple Watch will account for a quarter of the wearables market this year

Apple hasn’t even released its much-anticipated smartwatch, yet it is already expected to shift 20 million units by the end of the year.

Thanks to the Apple Watch, the tech company is expected to own more than a quarter of the wearables market, which will potentially see shipments soar to 75 million, up 158 per cent on 2014, predicts CCS Insight.
Ben Wood, chief of research at CCS Insight, said: “The Apple Watch will be instrumental in taking the wearables market to the next level of growth. If successful, it’ll create a rising tide that will life the whole market.”
2015 is looking to be the year of wearables, with sales of such devices growing from 29 million last year, to 172 million in 2018.
CCS said that 2015 is a 'make or break' year for wearables.
North America accounted for more than half of global sales last year, and is continuing its lead in the market as time goes on.
The wearables market will continue to be dominated by fitness bands from the likes of Fitbit and Jawbone, following a huge surge in sales in 2014.
George Jijiashvili, analyst at CCS Insight, commented: “We expect sales of fitness and activity devices to double in 2015 to 40 million units. In contrast to many other commentators, we don’t believe smartwatches will dent sales of fitness products in the short term."

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