Shipments of wearables in Thailand shrugged off COVID-19 (coronavirus) pressure in 2020, with demand for ear-worn products almost doubling, IDC data showed.
Full-year shipments grew 47.3 per cent to 3.46 million units, driven by a 97 per cent jump in the earwear category, a 47.3 per cent increase in wristbands and a 12.6 per cent rise in smartwatches.
Smartwatches’ share fell to 30.9 per cent from 40.5 per cent in 2019, with earwear accounting for 37.8 per cent of the 2020 total and bands 31.2 per cent.
Overall shipments in Q4, however, fell 15.6 per cent to 788,000 units as another wave of Covid-19 cases raised concerns about outdoor activities.
Market analyst for mobile devices at IDC Bangkok, Teerit Paowan said the country’s smartwatch market was driven by health trends, as consumers demand more features like blood oxygen measurement and ECG.
The analyst predicted “we will see more health features launch by various vendors amid the pandemic”, adding lifestyle product design is also “one of the key factors” consumers will consider.
