The Wearables Market in MEA Region Reached 15 Million Units in 2022
The Middle East and Africa wearables market grew 9.8% YoY to reach 14.89 million units in 2022, with the market's value increasing 25.4% to $2.86 billion, according to the latest edition of IDC's Worldwide Quarterly Wearable Devices Tracker.
The report reveals that the earwear segment dominated the market, accounting for 50.6% of total wearable shipments to the region in 2022. Apple and Samsung topped the list of vendors, accounting for more than 40% of the market share.
The smartwatch category saw significant value growth, with a 45.7% YoY increase in the value of shipments. Smartwatches accounted for a 60.6% share of the total wearable market's value in 2022, with Apple leading the category in unit terms, followed by Samsung and Huawei.
Türkiye was the region's biggest market for wearables in 2022, followed by Saudi Arabia, where demand for wearable technology — particularly advanced smartwatches — was strong.
The report also highlighted that the region is facing many economic challenges, which are likely to constrain disposable income and hamper consumer demand for wearable devices, leading to an increase in demand for cheaper entry-level models.
