Huawei overtakes Apple to lead smartwatch market as Chinese players drive growth

Huawei watch

Apple's reign as the world's top smartwatch brand is over. According to Counterpoint Research, global smartwatch shipments grew 8% year-on-year in Q2 2025, ending five consecutive quarters of contraction. The surge was powered largely by China, where Huawei, Xiaomi, and Imoo drove demand in a market increasingly defined by health, AI integration, and connected ecosystems.

Huawei emerged as the standout, surpassing Apple to become the world’s top smartwatch vendor. Its strength in China, coupled with consumer appetite for feature-rich, multifunctional wearables, gave the brand a decisive edge. Smartwatches are increasingly viewed as lifestyle hubs — blending health tracking, payments, communication, and navigation into a single wrist-worn device — making them central to digital living.

Apple, meanwhile, saw its shipments decline for the seventh straight quarter. Despite losing the overall crown, it retained leadership in the advanced smartwatch category, buoyed by the loyalty of iOS users and the strength of its tightly integrated ecosystem.

Commenting on the market performance, Senior Research Analyst Anshika Jain said, "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." It comes as no surprise that  over three-fourths of its shipments concentrated in China. "A majority of its portfolio skewed between $100 and $400, Huawei continues to deliver a compelling range of smartwatches that resonate across consumer segments," said Jain. Beyond that, Huawei has been slowly expanding its presence in other regions like Europe, MEA and Asia Pacific, to broaden its user base globally, she added.

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."

Other brands also reshaped the leaderboard. Xiaomi posted strong growth by dominating the entry-level segment with affordable offerings across multiple markets. Imoo maintained its grip on the kids’ smartwatch category, leveraging parental trust and child-focused features. Samsung, however, slipped 3% year-on-year, as buyers held off ahead of anticipated next-gen launches.

The rebound highlights a changing market: Chinese brands are driving growth and challenging long-standing incumbents, while consumers worldwide continue to see smartwatches less as luxury accessories and more as everyday digital companions.