Fitbit, Xiaomi lead wearable charge in Q1
The wearable market didn't exactly freeze in fear ahead of the Apple Watch launch as Fitbit and Xiaomi led shipments in the first quarter, according to IDC data.
IDC said that 11.4 million wearables shipped in the first quarter, up 200 percent from 3.8 million in the same quarter a year ago.
What's unclear is how the Apple Watch will change the landscape for the wearable market. The biggest wild card is pricing. The Apple Watch is priced at the high end, but 40 percent of wearable devices now are less than $100.
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Fitbit's stable of devices led in market share with Xiaomi's Mi Band faring well. Xiaomi's share is mostly in China. Garmin was No. 3 with its fitness focus and Samsung was No. 4 with a stable of smartwatches. Samsung devices are tethered to high end smartphones and that limits share, said IDC.
Jawbone was No. 5 and the real news was that the company held off Pebble and Sony even with older brands. Jawbone's UP3 just launched.