ABI Slashes 27M Units From 2020 Wearables Forecast On COVID-19, Supply Chain Woes

ABI Research slashed its 2020 wearables forecast by 27 million. The researcher cited a falloff in consumer demand for nonessential devices in Q1 due to the pandemic and supply chain issues. Shipments of smartwatches and activity trackers -- representing more than half of wearable shipments -- were 26.5 million in Q1, emailed analyst Stephanie Tomsett. For the year, ABI now forecasts wearables shipments of 254 million. That’s 5% over 2019 vs. the previously forecast 17% rise. Wearables shipments grew 23% in 2019.