The cited market evidence does not establish how many individual people worldwide owned a smartwatch in 2024. Shipment totals cannot answer that question by themselves: they count devices moving through the market, not distinct people with a watch. Treat a precise global ownership number cautiously unless it comes with a defined population, date and method.
Correction: an earlier version of this article stated global and country-level ownership figures without supporting sources. Those estimates have been removed. This article distinguishes the evidence available for 2024 from claims it cannot support.
What the 2024 market evidence actually says
Counterpoint Research’s full-year 2024 smartwatch report, published on 10 March 2025, found that global shipments fell 7% year on year. It also reported that Apple remained the leading brand by shipment share and that China became the largest shipment region. These are historical shipment findings, not a census of owners or a forecast for the current year.
A fall in annual shipments does not, on its own, mean fewer people own watches. Buyers may keep devices longer, replacement purchases may slow, or new buyers may still join the installed base. To measure ownership, a study has to address the people using or holding devices already sold, rather than only the latest year’s market activity.
Four statistics that should not be used interchangeably
| Measure | What it describes | What it does not establish |
|---|---|---|
| Annual shipments | Devices shipped during a period | The number of distinct owners |
| Annual sales | Devices purchased during a period | How many buyers already owned another watch |
| Installed base or active devices | Devices in use under the study’s definition | Necessarily one device per person |
| Ownership survey | Respondents reporting ownership in a defined population | An automatically valid worldwide estimate |
A person replacing a three-year-old watch may generate a new sale without adding a new owner. Someone can also own two watches, stop wearing one, or pass an older watch to a family member. Those cases require different treatment depending on whether the research measures ownership, active use or devices in service.
Why country percentages need their original survey
Before repeating “X% own a smartwatch”, find out whether the base is all residents, adults, internet users, smartphone owners or survey respondents in a particular age range. Also check whether the question combines smartwatches with fitness trackers. A combined wearable category is not a smartwatch-only ownership rate.
For example, a hypothetical survey finding that 25% of 1,000 adult respondents own a smartwatch is a sample result. It is not a count of 250 million owners. Extrapolating it requires an appropriate population estimate, survey weighting, uncertainty and a reason to believe the sample represents that population. This example illustrates the arithmetic; it is not a 2024 finding.
How to use smartwatch statistics responsibly
Record the source, publication date, measurement period, geography, population and device definition alongside any number. When comparing years, check that those definitions and methods remain comparable. A 2025 report may describe 2024 activity, so publication year and data year need separate labels.
For market analysis, use shipment research to discuss brand performance and buying activity. For audience sizing, look for a representative ownership or usage study covering the population you need. For an Australian estimate, a US or UK adult percentage should not simply be multiplied by Australia’s population. If your real question is which watch to buy, use model-specific evidence such as our Apple Watch Series 11 review rather than treating market share as a product recommendation.
The answer to keep
The defensible conclusion here is narrower than a headline-ready global total: Counterpoint recorded a 7% decline in smartwatch shipments during 2024, while individual ownership requires a different measurement. There is no supported worldwide owner count presented in this article. If you need a number for a report or business case, use a named ownership study with its scope attached rather than substituting shipment data.
Zachary Skinner is the editor of TechDrivePlay.com, where tech, cars and adventure share the fast lane.
A former snowboarding pro and programmer, he brings both creative flair and technical know-how to his reviews. From high-performance cars to clever gadgets, he explores how innovation shapes the way we move, connect and live.
