• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
TechWorld's Most Admired Companies

Fitbit Keeps Wearables Crown From Apple

By
Jason Cipriani
Jason Cipriani
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Jason Cipriani
Jason Cipriani
Down Arrow Button Icon
February 23, 2016, 2:42 PM ET
Courtesy of Fitbit

Wearable devices like smartwatches exploded in popularity at the end of 2015, according to a new report, highlighting the growing acceptance of the emerging technology.

Fourth quarter shipments of wearables reached 27.4 million, an 126.9% increase from the same quarter in 2014, the International Data Corporation said on Tuesday.

Wearable devices are most commonly worn on the wrist for tracking health related information like steps or sleep. Meanwhile, smartwatches are more like mini-computers that notify users about new emails and come with the ability to run apps.

For more, read: Why Fitbit Faces Investor Skepticism Over Its Fiscal Fitness

Sitting at the top of the market share leaderboard, once again, was Fitbit with 8.1 million devices shipped during the quarter, or a 29.5% market share, according to IDC. Apple (AAPL) came in second with 15% followed by Xiaomi with 9.7%, Samsung with 4.9%, and Garmin (GRMN) with 3.5%.

Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s technology newsletter.

Fitbit’s name is synonymous with fitness trackers and is commonly referred to as the “Kleenex of wearables.” Brand recognition combined with its products that range widely in price and capabilities have positioned the company to remain competitive, even as the likes of Apple and Xiaomi continue to pressure the company from the high and low-end of the wearable market.

The IDC estimated that Apple shipped 4.1 million Watches in the fourth quarter, while Strategy Analytics estimates put the number closer to 5.1 million. No matter the number, Fitbit leads Apple by a wide margin.

For more on Fitbit watch our video.

China’s Xiaomi continued to find success in the wearable market by shipping 2.7 million of its budget-friendly fitness trackers in the quarter. Xiaomi’s wearables cost $11 for a basic step counter to $13 for a band capable of tracking steps and heart rate, according to the IDC. In the U.S., users can buy Xiaomi’s Mi Band for $15.

For all of 2015, manufacturers shipped 78.1 million wearables, an 171.6% increase compared to 2014.

Despite Fitbit’s leadership, investors punished the company after it released its quarterly earnings and a weak first quarter outlook on Monday. The company’s shares (FIT) tumbled 19% in mid-day trading on Tuesday.

To remain competitive in a growing wearables market, IDC’s Ramon Llamas suggested that companies need products that do more than simply providing step counts. “Historical data, like steps taken and calories burned, has been a very good start,” he said. “Prescriptive data, like what else a user can do to live a healthier life, coupled with popular applications like social media, news, and navigation, will push wearables further, and attract more users.”

Neither Apple or Fitbit yet sell the product Llamas is hoping for. That hole, of course, opens the door for new players to come in with the right devices and win over shoppers.

 

About the Author
By Jason Cipriani
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Tech

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • Future 50
  • World’s Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
Sections
  • Finance
  • Leadership
  • Success
  • Tech
  • Asia
  • Europe
  • Environment
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Health
  • Retail
  • Lifestyle
  • Politics
  • Newsletters
  • Magazine
  • Features
  • Commentary
  • Mpw
  • CEO Initiative
  • Conferences
  • Personal Finance
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
About Us
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Tech

Healthchief executive officer (CEO)
Elon Musk says humans are ‘pre-programmed to die’ and longevity is ‘solvable’, raising huge questions about the future of health
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezJanuary 14, 2026
20 hours ago
Alphabet and Google CEO Sundar Pichai seated next to Apple CEO Tim Cook at a formal dinner.
AIApple
What Apple’s AI deal with Google means for the two tech giants, and for $500 billion ‘upstart’ OpenAI
By Jeremy Kahn and Beatrice NolanJanuary 13, 2026
1 day ago
A smartphone displaying the Google Gemini logo.
AIEye on AI
As ‘agentic commerce’ gains ground, companies shouldn’t put too much faith in ‘GEO,’ one industry insider warns
By Jeremy KahnJanuary 13, 2026
1 day ago
AIChatbots
Being mean to ChatGPT can boost its accuracy, but scientists warn you may regret it
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezJanuary 13, 2026
2 days ago
AIGoldman Sachs Group
‘Humans could go the way of horses’: Goldman calculated how bad the AI ‘job apocalypse’ will be—and its analysts were pleasantly surprised
By Jim EdwardsJanuary 13, 2026
2 days ago
Mark Zuckerberg
Future of WorkMeta
Meta is changing its performance review to reward output over effort, taking a page from Amazon and X
By Jake AngeloJanuary 13, 2026
2 days ago

Most Popular

placeholder alt text
Personal Finance
Peter Thiel makes his biggest donation in years to help defeat California’s billionaire wealth tax
By Nick LichtenbergJanuary 14, 2026
12 hours ago
placeholder alt text
Success
Despite his $2.6 billion net worth, MrBeast says he’s having to borrow cash and doesn’t even have enough money in his bank account to buy McDonald’s
By Emma BurleighJanuary 13, 2026
2 days ago
placeholder alt text
AI
'Godfather of AI' says the technology will create massive unemployment and send profits soaring — 'that is the capitalist system'
By Jason MaJanuary 12, 2026
2 days ago
placeholder alt text
AI
Being mean to ChatGPT can boost its accuracy, but scientists warn you may regret it
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezJanuary 13, 2026
2 days ago
placeholder alt text
Future of Work
'Microshifting,' an extreme form of hybrid working that breaks work into short, non-continuous blocks, is on the rise
By Nick LichtenbergJanuary 13, 2026
2 days ago
placeholder alt text
Economy
Goldman Sachs top economist says Powell probe won’t change the Fed: 'Decisions are going to be made based on employment and inflation'
By Sasha RogelbergJanuary 12, 2026
3 days ago

© 2025 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.