Over a fifth of the world’s internet users now own a smartwatch

Arnas J.

Research

Jun 20, 2023

Smartwatches are revolutionizing the tech industry and taking the world by storm, as more and more people are ditching their traditional timepieces in favor of this multifunctional device that does everything from fitness tracking to answering calls.

According to the data presented by the Watch Faces team, over a fifth (22.5%) of the world’s internet users now own a smartwatch, amounting to a total of 1.2 billion people globally — a 9% rise from the year before. 

The popularity of smartwatches differs widely between nations, with some exhibiting more significant adoption rates than others. Notably, the United Arab Emirates ranks highest, with over a third (33.4%) of its internet users (roughly 3.1 million people) owning a smartwatch device.
The estimates are based on survey data provided by DataReportal, which looks at smartwatch ownership trends worldwide among internet users aged 16 to 64.

The Czech Republic ranks second, with 31.6% of its internet users (approximately 3 million people) owning a smartwatch, followed closely by Hong Kong at 30.6% or an estimated 2.1 million smartwatch users.

Smartwatch adoption in India is 29.1%, equivalent to a staggering 201.4 million users, given the country’s population.

Meanwhile, Poland rounds out the top five countries with the highest smartwatch adoption rate. There 28.8% of internet users, or around 10.6 million people, own one. 

The United States also has a higher than average smartwatch ownership rate of 26% among internet users, equating to approximately 80.9 million people. Whereas its neighbor Canada has a slightly lower smartwatch ownership rate of 21.8%.

However, Japan, Morocco, and Ghana have the smallest smartwatch adoption rates among internet users. Despite boasting an 83% internet penetration rate in 2023, only 8.6% of Japanese internet users own a smartwatch. This is surprising given Japan’s reputation as a tech-savvy nation and a major player in the electronics industry. The number in Morocco stands at 6.4%, while in Ghana, it is just 5.9%.

Smartwatch adoption by age

While people of all ages have embraced smartwatches, some are bigger fans of the technology than others. 

Internet users aged 25 to 34 are the leading adopters of smartwatch technology, with 27.2% of females and 26.9% of males owning one.

Meanwhile, the oldest age group — 55 to 64-year-olds has the lowest ownership rate—still, 12.7% of females and 16.1% of males within the group own smartwatches. 

This indicates that smartwatches are not just popular among younger generations but are also gaining traction among older demographics. This trend may be driven by smartwatches’ health and fitness features, which may be particularly appealing to older individuals looking to track their physical activity and monitor their health.

Notably, the global interest in smartwatches shows no signs of cooling down. According to our previous research, tech giants like Apple are enjoying a significant demand for their smartwatches. In 2022, Apple dominated the smartwatch market with 50 million units sold.