While global smartwatch sales dip, Huawei and Xiaomi soar 53% YoY, narrowing the gap with Apple in an increasingly competitive market.
Global smartwatch shipments declined by 2% year-on-year (YoY) in Q1 2025, marking the fifth consecutive quarter of contraction, according to Counterpoint Research’s report.
This decline was primarily attributed to weakening demand in India and reduced shipments from Apple.
India, which had played a pivotal role in global smartwatch growth in recent years, experienced a notable slowdown during the quarter. The loss of momentum affected shipment volumes for several brands, particularly those that had previously benefitted from rapid expansion in the region.
Meanwhile, Apple remained the top vendor globally with a 20% market share but saw its shipments decline by 9% YoY. This marked the company’s sixth consecutive quarterly drop, which may reflect growing competition and longer replacement cycles.
At the same time, China recorded a strong performance, with shipments rising 37% YoY its highest global share since Q4 2020. This growth was driven by domestic brands, most notably Huawei and Xiaomi.
Both Huawei and Xiaomi posted 53% YoY shipment growth. Huawei’s global share rose from 10% to 16%, while Xiaomi’s increased from 6% to 10%, supported by portfolio diversification and competitive pricing in the mid-premium segment.
As flagship brands strengthened their positions, the kids’ smartwatch segment also showed resilience, with Imoo posting a 23% YoY increase in shipments and its market share rising from 6% to 7%. Parental interest in location-tracking and screen-time control features continued to support demand.
On the other hand, several other brands faced headwinds. Samsung’s shipments declined by 18% YoY, reducing its market share from 9% to 7%. The ‘Others’ category, which includes smaller brands, also saw a 17% fall in shipments, bringing its combined market share down from 48% to 40%.
Commenting on these developments, Anshika Jain, Senior Research Analyst at Counterpoint, said “China’s resurgence is being driven by domestic brands that are benefitting from consumer preference for local products, as well as a wide range of features across price segments.”
Expanding on pricing trends, Balbir Singh, Research Analyst, added: “Consumers are increasingly migrating to mid-tier and premium smartwatches in the $100–$200 band, which grew 21% YoY, while entry-level models below $100 declined 17%.”
Looking ahead, Counterpoint projects a 3% recovery in global smartwatch shipments in 2025, underpinned by AI adoption, next-generation health monitoring, and regulatory strides toward medical certification.
