Pulsar’s introduction of the calculator watch in 1975 expanded a timepiece’s abilities beyond just telling the time. The eventual integration of processors, operating systems, and Bluetooth connectivity aided the evolution of watches into miniaturized computing devices.

Listed below are the major milestones in the journey of the smartwatches theme, as identified by GlobalData.

1946 – The 2-Way Wrist Radio debuted in popular American comic strip Dick Tracy.

Go deeper with GlobalData

Premium Insights

The gold standard of business intelligence.

Find out more

Related Company Profiles

View all

1975 – Pulsar launched the first calculator wristwatch.

1982 – Seiko introduced the T001 TV watch, which featured a 1.25-inch LCD screen.

1994 – The Timex Datalink, co-developed with Microsoft, enabled wireless data transfer from PCs.

1998 – Seiko released the Ruputer, a wristwatch with a dedicated processor.

How well do you really know your competitors?

Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.

Company Profile – free sample

Thank you!

Your download email will arrive shortly

Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample

We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form

By GlobalData
Visit our Privacy Policy for more information about our services, how we may use, process and share your personal data, including information of your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications. Our services are intended for corporate subscribers and you warrant that the email address submitted is your corporate email address.

2000 – IBM developed a wristwatch that ran the Linux operating system.

2003 – Garmin introduced the first GPS-capable sports watch, the Forerunner 101.

2009 – The Burg 12 smartwatch’s built-in SIM card allowed users to make calls and send texts.

2009 – The first Fitbit wireless activity tracker was launched.

2012 – Sony’s SmartWatch could connect to Android smartphones via Bluetooth.

2013 – Following a popular Kickstarter campaign, Pebble launched its smartwatch.

2013 – Samsung entered the smartwatch market, launching the Galaxy Gear.

2014 – Samsung’s Gear S smartwatch featured 3G connectivity and ran on its Tizen OS.

2014 – Google started licencing its smartwatch-specific OS, Android Wear.

2015 – Official release of the Apple Watch.

2017 – Fitbit released its first smartwatch, the Ionic, having acquired Pebble for $23m.

2017 – The Apple Watch Series 3 featured cellular connectivity, enabled by an eSIM.

2018 – The Apple Watch Series 4 introduced an ECG app.

2019 – Google acquired Fossil’s smartwatch technology for $40m.

2021 – Google is expected to launch a Pixel smartwatch.

2022 – 5G connectivity will be introduced on smartwatches.

2025 – Smartwatches will become self-contained and interoperable with a wide range of devices.

2030 – Smartwatch revenue will surpass $64bn, according to GlobalData forecasts.

This is an edited extract from the Smartwatches – Thematic Research report produced by GlobalData Thematic Research.