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- The Apple Watch is the most popular in the world, according to Apple.
- The new version, the Series 3, could eclipse the popularity of the Series 2, based on searches for the watch.
- Bad reviews could plague the new watch, however.
The Apple Watch Series 3 could be one of the most popular watches in the world, based on analysis from UBS.
In its hardware event launching the new watch, Apple said the second generation of its watch moved to the top spot as the most popular watch in the world since it was released, and it looks as if the third generation of the watch could be even more popular.
According to Google search trends, the newest Apple Watch could be one of the most popular watches in the world.
UBS analyzed Google search trends for the new watch and compared it to previous generations. UBS said searches for the watch around its announcement were more numerous than for the watch Series 2 during its launch. Apple doesn’t break out its Watch sales but lumps it with other products in its “Other” category. UBS is forecasting a 19% year over year growth in this category in 2018, in part, because of the high expected demand for the new Apple Watch.
In its launch event, Apple said that sales for the Watch grew 50% year over year. UBS said that the new watch seems to be gaining traction according to search trends and if Apple continues its watch sales growth it could have a number one watch on its hands with the Series 3.
UBS said that this is good news not just for Apple, but for its suppliers. Quanta, which assembles the watch for Apple, is set to grow is wearable device sales by 5% year over year in 2018, according to UBS forecasts.
It’s important to note that search volumes don’t necessarily translate directly into sales. When potential customers search for the new Watch, they might find the initial less-than-stellar reviews of the Series 3. The cellular connectivity, the flagship feature of the phone that lets users make calls or stream music without a phone, had issues performing in the real world.
Apple has since said it fixed the issue with a software update.
Battery life was also an issue for some reviewers, as the cellular connectivity requires more juice to work, so constant use can mean taking a hit on battery life. Business Insider’s Steve Kovach, a noted smartwatch skeptic, said he actually liked the Series 3 when he focused on the activity tracking aspects of the watch.
Apple is up 34.3% this year and was trading around $156 on Thursday morning.
Read Steve’s review of the Apple Watch Series 3 here…
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