Running on Google time: Android dominates 2013 smartwatch OSes

Samsung Galaxy Gear
Will the Apple Watch boost smartwatch shipments?

Only 1.9 million smartwatches were sold globally in 2013, but 61% of them ran Google Android, according to research from Strategy Analytics.

Android's apparent dominance in smartwatches is thanks to the Samsung Galaxy Gear, the smart wrist tech with the most presence at retail and marketing.

It seems Google and Samsung are currently at the forefront of a segment of the tech industry that has a lot of room for growth, if the numbers are accurate.

Considering there were reportedly only around 300,000 smartwatches sold in 2012, that growth could be about to tip.

The saga begins

Strategy Analytics Executive Director Neil Mawston said that the industry is mainly waiting for Apple to reveal its iWatch plans before really taking off.

Other competition could supposedly come from Microsoft, Tizen and the newly unveiled China OS, though in reality the future of smartwatches is still murky.

That's especially clear when you consider the sheer amount of negative criticism the Galaxy Gear - the most widely adopted smartwatch, mind you - has faced.

The Galaxy Gear 2 is expected to be better and cheaper, but facing the possibility of competition from Apple, who knows what other measures Samsung might take to attempt to secure its place in the saga of smartwatches?

Compare the number of smartwatches sold in 2013 to the numbers of tablets and smartphones - 1.9 million against 227 million and 990 million, respectively - and it becomes clear that this story is only getting started.

  • You know what else runs Android? The Samsung Galaxy S4 - click through for the exhaustive TechRadar review.

Via TechHive

Michael Rougeau

Michael Rougeau is a former freelance news writer for TechRadar. Studying at Goldsmiths, University of London, and Northeastern University, Michael has bylines at Kotaku, 1UP, G4, Complex Magazine, Digital Trends, GamesRadar, GameSpot, IFC, Animal New York, @Gamer, Inside the Magic, Comic Book Resources, Zap2It, TabTimes, GameZone, Cheat Code Central, Gameshark, Gameranx, The Industry, Debonair Mag, Kombo, and others.


Micheal also spent time as the Games Editor for Playboy.com, and was the managing editor at GameSpot before becoming an Animal Care Manager for Wags and Walks.