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Smartwatch chips market will register significant growth between 2024 and 2032, driven by rising startups pioneering innovative technologies. As these startups enter the market with fresh ideas and solutions, competition intensifies, spurring advancements in smartwatch chip design.
For instance, in July 2021, Huami Technology, a Chinese tech startup, hosted its Next Beat 2021 conference in Hefei, China, themed "The Future of Health." At the event, the company unveiled several new products aimed at enhancing user health. Among the releases were the Huangshan 2S, a next-generation smart wearable chip, and Zepp OS, a newly developed operating system with a focus on health features. The Huangshan 2S chip stood out as the industry's first dual-core RISC-V wearable chip, boasting an independent GPU and AI capabilities for high-performance computing and minimal power consumption. Notably, the chip's large-core system incorporated FPU for floating-point operations, supporting demanding tasks like graphics and UI operations.
With a focus on improving performance, power efficiency, and functionality, these innovative technologies cater to the evolving needs of consumers. Startups play a crucial role in driving market growth, fostering innovation, and reshaping the landscape of smartwatch chip technology to meet the growing demands of the wearable device industry.
Smartwatch chips market experiences heightened demand due to increased product launches from key players featuring enhanced features. Leading companies continuously innovate, introducing smartwatch chips with advanced functionalities such as improved performance, longer battery life, and enhanced connectivity. These new features cater to consumer preferences for more versatile and efficient smartwatches. With each launch, the market expands as consumers seek the latest technology, driving competition among manufacturers to deliver innovative solutions and meet the evolving demands of smartwatch users. For instance, in April 2023, Fastrack announced that it is extending its smartwatch lineup with the introduction of the fashion tech series Limitless in an exclusive partnership with Amazon Fashion. The inaugural product, Fastrack Limitless FS1, featured the latest ATS chipset for seamless calling and a 1.95" Horizon Curve Display, the brand's largest to date. With built-in Alexa, users can effortlessly manage their fitness and health. Fastrack's foray into the smartwatch market marks a significant milestone, promising more innovations to come.
In the smartwatch chips market, notable trends and restraints shape the industry landscape. Increasing demand for wearable technology drives innovation, leading to the development of more powerful and energy-efficient smartwatch chips. Integration of advanced features like health monitoring and connectivity enhances user experience and expands market opportunities. However, constraints such as limited battery life, size restrictions, and production costs challenge further advancements. Besides, market saturation and competition intensify, prompting companies to differentiate through performance, design, and ecosystem integration to maintain relevance and sustain growth.
Smartwatch chips industry is witnessing notable trends driven by rising innovation and benefits introduced by leading companies. With each advancement, smartwatch chips offer improved performance, energy efficiency, and enhanced features. Leading companies continually push boundaries, introducing innovations like advanced sensors, longer battery life, and seamless connectivity. These developments cater to consumer demands for more versatile and reliable smartwatches, driving market growth. As competition intensifies, the market sees a surge in new technologies and benefits, shaping the future of smartwatch chip technology.
Quoting an instance, in July 2022, Qualcomm launched new smartwatch chips offering significant advancements in battery life, leveraging a 4-nanometer manufacturing process for enhanced efficiency. These chips were set to feature in the next generation of Google Wear watches and marked a departure from the previous "Snapdragon Wear" branding. Compared to the previous 12-nanometer chips, the new processors boasted smaller transistor sizes, facilitating faster processing, reduced heat generation, and lower power consumption. This technological leap underscored Qualcomm's commitment to delivering more efficient and high-performance smartwatch solutions.
Based on applications, the market is segmented into iOS system smartwatches, Android system smartwatches, and Windows system smartwatches. The Android segment growth can be credited to the accessibility of Android system smartwatches at an affordable price range and their efficient battery life. With Android dominating the global smartphone market, seamless integration between smartphones and smartwatches enhances user experience and functionality. As Android smartwatches continue to evolve with advanced features such as health tracking, notifications, and app support, demand for efficient and powerful smartwatch chips rises. This trend underscores the significant role of Android in shaping the trajectory of the smartwatch chips industry.
Based on type, the market is further segmented into 32-bit and 64-bit. The 64-bit segment will grow significantly owing to device features such as enhanced processing power and larger memory capacity. A 64-bit computer architecture allows the processor access to more memory & storage space. It also makes data processing easier & faster. As compared to the 32-bit technology, the 64-bit technology has the considerable benefit of accessing more memory at once, resulting in reduced delays when executing an operation.
The Asia Pacific region will register the fastest expansion rate during the forecast period. The smartwatch chips market growth across the region can be attributed to various factors, such as the rapidly growing consumer electronics industry and a rising tech-savvy population. With the growing popularity of fitness-tracking apps, the sale of smartwatches with built-in sensors & processors has increased. Moreover, the rising penetration rate of smartphones, alongside high internet usage rates, could escalate the demand for System-On-Chip (SOC) solutions made specifically for wearables. The rapid adoption & popularity of advanced gadgets as well as the increase in consumer disposable income levels, are other factors driving market growth in Asia Pacific.
Major companies operating in the smartwatch chips industry competitive landscape include:
In October 2023, Qualcomm revealed its development of a wearable's platform for Wear OS, Google's smartwatch operating system, in collaboration with Google, employing RISC-V technology. This initiative aimed to enable original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to streamline their smartwatch launches, reducing time to market. Moreover, the enhanced framework is poised to unlock new opportunities for ecosystem products, allowing for the integration of custom CPUs for improved performance and energy efficiency. Qualcomm expressed enthusiasm about leveraging RISC-V to further advance its Snapdragon Wear platform as a premier silicon provider for Wear OS.