Consumers are increasingly viewing smartwatches as lifestyle hubs integrating fitness, communication, payments, and navigation capabilities. The seamless pairing with smartphones and expanding app ecosystem is enhancing the utility across demographics. As consumers seek convenience, connectivity, and health insights in real time, smartwatches are becoming central to everyday digital engagement.

Commenting on the market performance, Senior Research Analyst Anshika Jain said, “Huawei surged ahead in the global smartwatch market with a remarkable 52% YoY increase in shipments, the highest among the world’s top 10 brands. Driven by its diverse product portfolio, robust domestic momentum, and competitive pricing across mid-to-premium tiers, Huawei overtook Apple to claim the top spot in global shipment leadership for the first time. With over three-fourths of its shipments concentrated in China and a majority of its portfolio skewed between $100 and $400, Huawei continues to deliver a compelling range of smartwatches that resonate across consumer segments. Beyond that, Huawei has been slowly expanding its presence in other regions like Europe, MEA and Asia Pacific, to broaden its user base globally. Its expanding smartphone user base in China, coupled with its integrated ecosystem strategy, played a pivotal role in driving this growth.”

Global Smartwatch Shipments Market Share, Q2 2024 vs Q2 2025

Source: Global Smartwatch Shipments Tracker by Model, Q2 2025

Meanwhile, Apple’s global smartwatch shipments declined for the seventh straight quarter, with the brand ceding the global top spot. However, it continued to lead the advanced smartwatch segment, bolstered by the strength of its iOS ecosystem and sustained user loyalty.

Among the top five players, Xiaomi and Imoo’s shipments grew substantially during the quarter, each capitalizing on distinct market segments. Xiaomi led the basic smartwatch segment, driven by its value-oriented offerings and broad geographic reach. Meanwhile, Imoo continued to dominate the kids’ smartwatch space, leveraging its specialized features and strong brand recognition among younger demographics and parents. Samsung, another major player in the global market, saw a 3% YoY decline in shipments. The recent downturns for both Apple and Samsung were further driven by consumers holding off purchases in anticipation of new-generation devices expected to launch in Q3 2025.

Global Advanced Smartwatch Shipments Market Share by Region, Q2 2024 vs Q2 2025

Source: Global Smartwatch Shipments Tracker by Model, Q2 2025

Commenting on the regional market trends, Research Analyst Balbir Singh said, “Thanks to the strong performance of domestic brands and their loyal customer base, China became the world’s top contributor to advanced smartwatch shipments in Q2 2025 for the first time ever. China’s market benefits greatly from affordable options, targeted government subsidies, and deep integration with local app ecosystems that enhance daily utility, from payments to health tracking, making smartwatches indispensable across consumer tiers. Meanwhile, declines in other major regions, particularly North America, where most brands faced setbacks, helped cement China’s position as the top market for advanced smartwatch shipments.”

Commenting on the global smartwatch market outlook, Jain said, “We expect the smartwatch market to continue its recovery in 2025, with annual growth projected at around 7%, a solid single-digit percentage increase. This upturn will be driven by advancements in smartwatch features, including the integration of AI technology and next-generation health sensors that offer greater accuracy. Brands are segmenting their offerings across price tiers – from entry-level devices to flagship advanced smartwatches – capturing both first-time buyers and upgrade cycles. HarmonyOS, Wear OS, and WatchOS ecosystems are likely to expand to support this diversity. By combining AI-driven insights with advanced sensors, smartwatches are set to deliver more accurate health assessments, personalized recommendations and actionable lifestyle guidance, fueling market growth further.”

Looking on the overall market dynamics, Associate Director David Naranjo said, “Apple and Samsung’s declines show that brand loyalty alone is no longer enough – consumers now expect tangible new value, such as FDA-cleared health insights, AI-driven personalization, and extended battery life. The second half of 2025 will be decisive: if Apple’s next-generation Watch and Samsung’s Galaxy Watch lineup deliver clear step-ups in capability, both could reestablish momentum. But in the meantime, Chinese brands are setting the pace in scale, affordability, and integration, positioning themselves as global challengers. The market is entering a new innovation cycle, where health and AI will determine long-term differentiation."

*Types of smartwatches:

• Advanced Smartwatch: Electronic watch running a high-level OS, such as Watch OS (Apple) and Wear OS (Samsung), with the ability to install third-party apps.
• Basic Smartwatch: Electronic watch running a lighter version of an OS, with no ability to install third-party apps.
• Kids Smartwatch: Electronic watch capable of either linking to a partner smartphone or independently accessing the internet over LAN, WAN or cellular connectivity, and designed to meet the needs and requirements of children, such as location tracking, health monitoring, voice or video communication, and gaming.

About Counterpoint Research

Counterpoint Research is a global market research firm specializing in products across the technology ecosystem. We advise a diverse range of clients – from smartphone OEMs to chipmakers and channel players to Big Tech – through our offices located in the world's major innovation hubs, manufacturing clusters and commercial centers. Our analyst team, led by seasoned experts, engages with stakeholders across the enterprise – from the C-suite to professionals in strategy, analyst relations (AR), market intelligence (MI), business intelligence (BI), product and marketing – to deliver services spanning market data, industry thought leadership and consulting. Our core areas of coverage include AI, Automotive, Consumer Electronics, Displays, eSIM, IoT, Location Platforms, Macroeconomics, Manufacturing, Networks and Infrastructure, Semiconductors, Smartphones and Wearables. Visit our Insights page to explore our publicly available market data, insights and thought leadership, and to understand our focus, meet our analysts and start a conversation.

 [email protected]