Apple Watch Models Trend Toward the Middle
At CIRP we are a little reluctant to analyze Apple Watch in depth. After all, it’s essentially an iPhone accessory, rather than a true, stand-alone product. We devote little attention to analyzing other accessories, such as iPhone cases or even AirPods.
Yet, as an accessory Apple Watch has quite a presence. It accounts for tens of billions of dollars of global sales, and as a standalone business would dwarf any other watchmaker and even a few smartphone manufacturers. It is arguably the most successful Apple product since iPad. So, we will take a look at the basic profile of Apple Watch sales.
Similar to iPhones and iPads, Apple offers a range of models for Apple Watch. They fall in three categories:
Flagship Series 8 and 9, successors to the original model
SE, a more basic model, similar in spirit to iPhone SE
Premium Ultra and Ultra 2, the high-end models with more advanced features.
Apple last upgraded the model lineup in September 2023 at the same time it launched iPhone 15, with the new Series 9 and Ultra 2, .
Not surprisingly, the current and legacy flagship Series 9 and 8 are the most popular models. In the most recent June 2024 quarter, they together accounted for almost two-thirds of Apple Watch unit sales (Chart 1).