Demand for Apple Watches expected to rise in UAE – survey

The Apple Watch could be one of the most sought-after smart devices in the United Arab Emirates, research by electronics retailer PLUG INS has found.

The UAE firm, which is part of the Al-Futtaim group, surveyed 2,450 consumers in the country and discovered than only 16 per cent of residents currently own a wearable device.

However, a further 52 per cent of the respondents are looking to buy one this year.

Of those looking to buy, more than 70 per cent said they would by an Apple Watch with more than half saying they would mostly use it for fitness activities.

Though the Apple Watch has yet to be officially launched in the country, the devices can be bought from a number of UAE online retailers.

A standard Apple Watch currently fetches between Dhs 1499 and Dhs 2681, while a premium Apple Watch edition can be purchased for a staggering Dhs 80, 499.

The figures also showed that smartphones continue to dominate the electrical goods market, with Samsung and Apple remaining the most popular brands.

More than half of people surveyed said they would pay between Dhs 2000 to 3000 for a smartphone.

Meanwhile, up to 42 per cent of respondents said they would replace their phone every two years as a new model is launched.

However 36 per cent regarded new deals and discounts as their primary motivation for changing handsets.

PLUG INS general manager Omar Abushaban said:“Through our annual survey we hope to uncover useful insights that can help us better understand the pulse of the market.

“We believe the insights derived from the survey can help shape the marketing and commercial strategies of retailers, vendors and other key stakeholders in order to further improve overall customer experiences at the stores.”