© 2025 Arizent. All rights reserved.
p19iicq19h11ll1r8a1djjcn6112l6.jpg
The Apple Watch, Apple’s entry into the smartwatch market, is now on display in Apple Stores -- and online preorders started Friday. The device will be officially on sale April 24. Here are eight things to know about the watch, which will start at $349.
p19iiap654k7s6h6id0jefli66.jpg

1. The size of the smartwatch market

A whopping 28.1 million smartwatches will be sold this year, Strategy Analytics predicts.

[Photo: Bloomberg/file]
p19iiap654129e1vih1a10emu1u9m7.jpg

2. Forecast for Apple’s sales

Wall Street expects Apple to sell 14 million Apple Watches in 2015, but Piper Jaffray predicts 2015 sales will be closer to 8 million units -- before building to 40 million to 50 million units by 2017 -- or 10% of Apple's revenue at that time, according to The Wall Street Journal.

[Photo: Bloomberg/file]
p19iiap6551vo6115c1p1cj2vbm58.jpg

3. Apple’s projected market share

Apple Watch will grab 55% market share in 2015 (representing 15 million units), Strategy Analytics predicts.

[Photo: Bloomberg/file]
p19iiap6564hk1ld461vap3nsd.jpg

4. How the Apple Watch could improve fitness

Remaining active is imperative to maintaining health and wellness. And while FitBits and Jawbones have revolutionized measuring physical activity, new innovations with the Apple Watch allow the device to sense even when users are standing. “It may sound like a small thing, but sitting less can improve your health in significant ways,” Apple says.

[Photo: Bloomberg/file]
p19iiap65516d21ma010rvh217hpa.jpg

5. How the Apple Watch could improve health monitoring

The customizable nature of the watch will give people an even easier way to monitor specific health concerns, enabling them to more easily track health indicators. For some, it could help monitor fitness levels, but developers are looking to use HealthKit and the Apple Watch to help patients and medical professionals regularly monitor and self-manage chronic illnesses.

[Photo: Bloomberg/file]
p19iiap656bl3hla1v771nost98c.jpg

6. How the Apple Watch could improve patient tracking

Some U.S. hospitals are already looking at how Apple’s technology will enable providers to do a better job of monitoring patients. An informal survey of top hospitals earlier this spring found that about two-thirds were rolling out pilot programs using Apple’s HealthKit service, or were discussing potential applications that could track data from patients with chronic conditions.

[Photo: Bloomberg/file]
p19iiap655g0j1lk91iuh17ch1mo89.jpg

7. How the Apple Watch could improve financial planning

With the increasing popularity of online investing tools, as well as robo-advisers, smartwatches could be useful tools in wealth management. Because stock quotes are a natural fit for the watch’s form factor, wearers will be able to receive real-time financial information on the go.

[Photo: Bloomberg/file]
p19iiap656oim17fjrcp1vp4gc7b.jpg

8. How the Apple watch could improve business efficiency

For industries in constant motion (and which aren’t these days?) the Apple Watch will offer continuous communication that can be accessed by simply looking at your arm. Hold up your wrist to read the message, or lower your arm to dismiss it. No more fumbling with phones or diverting attention from meetings.

[Photo: Bloomberg/file]
MORE FROM EMPLOYEE BENEFIT NEWS