According to the International Data Corporation (IDC), global shipments of wearables grew by only 1.2% in Q1 2018 – as compared to the 18% growth reported this time last year, as consumer preference shifted toward smarter devices and products diversified.

The deceleration was driven by a decline of 9.2% in shipments of basic wearables over the period, while shipments of higher priced smart wearables actually increased 28.4% in the quarter, suggesting that consumers are increasingly interested in the expanded capabilities of more technologically advanced products.

While watches and wristbands accounted for 95% of all shipments in Q1 2018, other products also grew rapidly.

Shipments of sensor-laden clothing, for example, grew by 58.6% compared to Q1 2017.

The vast majority of these products are step-counting shoes but companies are offering increasingly diversified sensor-enabled apparel pieces, such as shirts and shorts, primarily with fitness tracking functionalities.