Smart watches are a part of the emerging market for wearable technology, along with fitness trackers, a range of health monitors, and eyewear such as Google Glass and Oculus Rift.


There’s been an explosion of talk about smart watches recently. From newcomers like Pebble to tech giants including Samsung and Google, rumors and announcements are flying. And of course, the coverage and discussion of what Apple might be working on has reached a fever pitch.


To understand which news and opinions are are getting reactions and who is proving influential in the conversation, the data journalists at Appinions using the Appinions Marketing Platform analyzed over 2 billion news, blog, forum, and social media items from February to May 2014.


In this report we share the overall trends in smart watch influence, list top 10 most influential companies and executives, and look at how rumors, announcements, and product shipments have impacted the measurable influence in this marketplace.


WHAT WE LEARNED WHILE ANALYZING INFLUENCE:
! Samsung has a hefty lead as the most established key player, leveraging influence from their smartphones to outcompete Sony and Pebble.
! Nike CEO Mark Parker snagged the public’s attention by announcing the end of FuelBand in order to focus instead on software for wearables.
! Apple is influential without saying a word; speculation surrounding iWatch is coming from analysts and competitors while the company remains silent.
! The most significant conversations began when a major brand – such as LG, Google, or Microsoft – made a product announcement.
! The key themes beyond the products themselves include expanding app availability, extending