Filipino consumers buying more wearable tech

The increasing interest in smart devices among Filipinos has resulted in a recent uptick in the shipments of wearables into the country, according to the International Data Corp. (IDC).

The IDC’s Worldwide Quarterly Wearable Device Tracker showed that shipments of wearables, or devices that can be worn as accessories, reached 370,000 units in the third quarter.

The latest figure showed a 15.5-percent growth from the previous quarter and 23.7-percent improvement on an annual basis.

“Some vendors have expressed confidence in the wearable market’s growth in the Philippines. In fact, smartphone vendors have expanded their product portfolio to include wearables, in response to the growing demand for smart devices among Filipino consumers that seek a smart lifestyle,” IDC Philippines senior market analyst Angela Medez said.

Earwears took the bulk or 46.8 percent of the market share for the period with 172,500 units, but these showed a 5.4-percent decline from 182,200 units a year ago.

Wristbands, usually fitness trackers, were next with 100,600 units, showing a 46.5-percent growth from the previous year’s 68,700 units.

IDC noted the growth in wristband shipments was driven by the popularity of Huawei’s Band 7 products.

“Despite an economic slowdown, Huawei took the top spot with its wristbands accounting for 66 percent of its overall wearable shipments,” IDC noted.

Shipments for smartwatches, meanwhile, more than doubled to 95,700 units in the third quarter from 47,200 units a year ago.