You may already know that Fitbit, the California-based fitness technology company, is currently dominating the smartwatch market.
Figures released by analyst firm Canalys showed that the Fitbit fitness band accounted for nearly 50% of the world’s 2.5 million shipments in the first quarter of 2014.
But with complaints about skin irritation from some of Fitbit’s users, and the likes of Samsung Galaxy Gear, Pebble and Sony’s SmartWatch 2 among other rivals trying to stake a claim, how did they do it?
Canalys believes it was Fitbit’s handling of the issue that allowed the company to keep its sales momentum.
"While a significant number of Force bands had shipped, the recall only affected the initial roll-out in the US and Canada. The issue was handled well and did not dramatically slow the company’s sales momentum," it said in a statement.
Another reason could be that, unlike its competitors, the Fitbit Force specifically aims to help people change their habits and make healthier decisions.
However, Canalys went on to warn that the market will likely "continue to change frequently as new products are released and will continue to do so throughout 2014".
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So could Fitbit maintain its leadership? Potentially.
Recents reports from tech tipster @evleaks reveal that the company is preparing a slightly modified version of the Fitbit Force for later this year.
The new version would have a "hypoallergenic band" and add Caller ID alerts using the fitness tracker’s LED screen, according to the report. It would also offer real-time run stats including time, pace and distance "when your phone is nearby".
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