What you have to know
- The Samsung Galaxy Match 3 will likely be offered in choose areas in Europe, Central and South America, and Asia.
- Samsung has no plans to promote it in america or different particular nations attributable to “market developments” or the “wants for every area.”
- An increasing number of health tracker manufacturers are avoiding america because of the elevated reputation of smartwatches there.
After months of Galaxy Match 3 leaks, Samsung formally introduced the health tracker on Thursday, noting it could come to particular areas in Europe, Asia, and South America on February 23, with a later launch date in Korea. Right now, Samsung confirmed to Android Central that the Galaxy Match 3 would not come to america, disappointing American followers of the Match 2.
“Samsung seems holistically throughout our product portfolio and bundling optimum gadgets collectively that align with the market developments and wishes for every area,” a Samsung rep instructed us.
In different phrases, Samsung does not see a big sufficient health tracker market to steadiness out the advertising, distribution, and software program help prices essential to launch the Galaxy Match 3 in america.
We have requested Samsung for an official record of supported nations, however we consider Canada and the UK additionally will not obtain the Match 3.
As for why Samsung is holding the Match 3 again, you want solely have a look at Canalys’ world wearable band market evaluation. Health band gross sales totaled about 80 million in 2020 earlier than dipping to about 60 million in 2021, 40 million in 2022, and 35.8 million in 2023. This yr, complete health band gross sales are projected at 33 million.
In the meantime, Canalys estimates smartwatch gross sales will bounce 17% to 82 million, and non-smart watches will attain practically 90 million offered.
Regardless that a wholesome variety of individuals prioritize the decrease costs and lighter designs of the finest health trackers, that quantity continues to say no steadily as extra individuals rely on smartwatches’ superior methods.
It is also the case that health trackers could make much less cash per unit offered than smartwatches as a result of low cost, high-quality trackers just like the $40 Xiaomi Sensible Band 8 will undercut your gross sales when you cost an excessive amount of.
In Samsung’s particular case, it has to reckon with the iPhone’s reputation in america, too. Though Samsung used to help its Galaxy Match collection on iOS, it has refocused solely on Android due partly to Apple’s technique of withholding options on non-Apple Watch gadgets.
“I feel this can be a case of Samsung wanting its wearables to be premium merchandise and the corporate desirous to have a extra premium popularity within the U.S. market,” Anshel Sag, principal analyst at Moor Insights & Technique, instructed us.
Regardless that Sag thinks Samsung “would promote a variety of items contemplating the worth,” he believes it could additionally “dilute” Samsung’s common promoting value (ASP) for wearables total, probably hurting Galaxy Watch 6 gross sales. The U.S. market additionally calls for extra software program help, Sag suggests, “which may solely actually be supported by greater ASP merchandise.”
Though Galaxy Match followers are certain to be upset, this improvement is not stunning. Previously couple of years, we have seen the loss of life of Amazon Halo, the decline of Fitbit gross sales, and an elevated variety of low cost health band corporations like Xiaomi or Amazfit holding off on world editions of their health bands whereas pivoting to mid-range smartwatches.
We even anticipate that the rise of good rings just like the Samsung Galaxy Ring could seize a few of the dwindling marketplace for health bands, as each type components focus on sleep and step counting.
Finally, Samsung spurning the U.S. by not launching the Galaxy Match 3 within the area emphasizes how dire the health band market has change into right here. Until you need the subscription-based Fitbit Cost 6 or the expensive Garmin Vivosmart 5, your choices have gotten more and more restricted.
