Ever since the tablet boom started to fade, many experts predicted wearable devices to be the next big thing in the tech industry. A recent forecast by IDC seems to confirm that prediction: IDC’s analysts expect worldwide wearable device shipments to grow from 19.6 million units in 2014 to 45.7 million this year and reach 126.1 million units by 2019.
However, speaking of a wearables boom in general seems like a stretch when considering the numbers in more detail. According to IDC, the market’s growth will be fueled almost exclusively by smartwatches and wrist-worn fitness trackers, which are expected to account for 9 in 10 wearables shipped this year.
Meanwhile no other type of wearable device is expected to break through to the mainstream anytime soon, as our chart nicely illustrates.
