The Apple Watch SE Is Apple’s Least Popular Model
Credit: Apple
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Despite its affordable price tag, the Apple Watch SE has a surprisingly low uptake from consumers compared to the rest of Apple’s smartwatch family.
That’s according to a new report from Consumer Intelligence Research Partners (CIRP), which notes that the Apple Watch SE accounted for only about an eighth of all Apple Watch sales in the June 2024 quarter.
Unsurprisingly, the most popular model is the current Apple Watch Series 9, which takes the lion’s share at 43%. However, the Apple Watch Series 8 is an interesting second-place contender at 19%, suggesting that Apple’s mainstream watches still attract most customers, making up 62% of all Apple Watches sold last quarter.
The Apple Watch Ultra models (2022 Ultra and 2023 Ultra 2) accounted for 20% of all Apple Watch sales. They were split somewhat evenly, with the Apple Watch Ultra at 9% and the Apple Watch Ultra 2 at 11%, but it seems fair to consider them as one since they boast mostly the same feature set. Sales of the older Apple Watch Ultra likely resulted from discounts as Apple no longer sells that model as new. Ditto for the Apple Watch Series 8.
Coming in dead last was the Apple Watch Nike Edition at 5%. However, that’s an outlier as it’s merely a co-branded version of a standard Apple Watch with no special features. CIRP describes it as “a form of the Series 8 and 9,” so it should probably be lumped in with those; however, it’s not entirely clear what it’s referring to, as Apple stopped selling the distinct “Nike Edition” in 2022, which means that 5% may be comprised of Series 7 and older models that still carry that branding.
Interestingly, CIRP hasn’t traditionally included the Apple Watch in its analyses, as it considers it “essentially an iPhone accessory” like AirPods or iPhone cases and not a “true, stand-alone product.” However, it also adds that its presence is hard to miss, accounting for tens of billions of dollars in global sales.
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.CIRP
While it’s a bit surprising that the priciest Apple Watch Ultra models would overshadow the wallet-friendly Apple Watch SE, there’s a risk in reading too much into this. For one thing, the Apple Watch SE hasn’t been updated since 2022, and even then, it had lower specs than the Apple Watch Series 8 that it was released alongside, lacking an always-on display, blood oxygen app, and ECG feature.
The Apple Watch SE also competes against many other options in its price range, including the Apple Watch Series 8, which can still be found at sale prices close enough to the Apple Watch SE to make it worth the jump. However, the $249 Apple Watch SE is a tough sell against even the latest Apple Watch Series 9, which starts at $399. It also sits awkwardly between that and more affordable fitness-focused smartwatches that typically cost under $200.
This latest report adds weight to the rumor that Apple is considering going with plastic for the next-generation Apple Watch SE to cut costs and possibly make the wearable more fun and appealing to a younger audience.
