Huawei Overtakes Apple, Now Leading the Global Smartwatch Market

Huawei has finally made history in the smartwatch industry. For the first time, the Chinese company has surpassed Apple and become the global smartwatch market leader in the second quarter of 2025.

A recent report from Counterpoint Research revealed that global smartwatch shipments increased 8 percent year-on-year. This news is noteworthy because for nearly a decade, Apple has consistently held the top spot as the smartwatch technology giant.

Huawei's success is inextricably linked to its more diverse product strategy, competitive pricing, and support from its smartphone ecosystem. These achievements are certain to significantly shift the global smartwatch market landscape.

Huawei Records Significant Growth

According to a Counterpoint report, Huawei has captured 21 percent of the global smartwatch market share, a significant increase from last year's 15 percent. Shipments grew 52 percent year-on-year, a record high for the company in the wearables industry.

Apple Must Be Willing to Abdicate

Meanwhile, Apple, long synonymous with smartwatch dominance, had to settle for a second place. Its market share dropped to 17 percent, a 2 percent decrease compared to the same period last year. Despite this, Apple still dominates the premium smartwatch segment thanks to its robust iOS ecosystem.

Xiaomi and Imoo Skyrocket

Besides Huawei, two other Chinese brands also performed brilliantly. Xiaomi achieved a 9 percent market share with 38 percent growth thanks to its affordable products. Meanwhile, Imoo secured 7 percent of the global market share and remained strong in the children's smartwatch segment with 21 percent growth.

Samsung Lags Behind at the Bottom

South Korean vendor Samsung has fallen to fifth place with a 6 percent market share. This figure is down 3 percent year-on-year, putting Samsung under increasing pressure from Chinese competitors.

Smartwatch Market Predicted to Continue Growing

Counterpoint also noted that China is now the world's largest smartwatch market, surpassing North America. Affordable prices, government support, and integration with local apps are key factors in this growth. Going forward, the market is expected to grow 7 percent annually thanks to the advent of AI technology and next-generation health sensors.