Huawei Leads Global Smartwatch Shipments in Q1–Q3 as Xiaomi Emerges as Fastest-Growing Brand: IDC

Highlights

• Global wrist-worn smart devices shipments crossed 150 million units in Q1–Q3 2025, marking 10% year-on-year growth.
• Smartwatches led with 120M units (+7.3%), while fitness trackers surged 21.3% to 32.86M units.
• Huawei topped with 28.6M units (majority in China), Xiaomi ranked second and fastest-growing, Apple placed third globally and Samsung fourth after recovering with Galaxy Watch8 launches.

The worldwide market for wrist-worn smart devices such as smartwatches and basic fitness trackers crossed more than 150 million units in shipments during the first three quarters of this year. The numbers were revealed in the latest data from IDC. This marks a 10 percent growth compared to the same period last year.

Smartwatches continued to dominate the category with close to 120 million units shipped, reflecting a year-on-year increase of 7.3 percent. Meanwhile, demand for simpler and more affordable fitness trackers grew at a much faster pace, rising 21.3 percent year-on-year to reach a total of 32.86 million units.

IDC’s report shows that Huawei emerged as the global market leader during this nine-month period. Strong shipments of devices such as the Huawei Watch GT 6 and Watch GT 6 Pro played a key role in this performance. Huawei shipped a total of 28.6 million units worldwide, although a significant portion of these, 20.8 million units, were sold in China.

According to IDC, the company is actively working to strengthen its presence in overseas markets.

Caption – Wrist-worn smart devices global market. (source – IDC)

Xiaomi secured the second position globally and stood out as the fastest-growing brand among the top five manufacturers. The company shipped 27.9 million units, driven by robust demand for budget-friendly products such as the Xiaomi Smart Band 10 and multiple Redmi Watch models. While Xiaomi maintained a strong foothold in China, it also performed well in regions like Southeast Asia and South America.

Apple ranked third worldwide and fourth in China during the same period. Unlike some competitors, Apple’s portfolio remains focused on mid-range and premium devices. This year, the company emphasised improvements in connectivity including features like 5G support and satellite messaging.

Caption – Wrist-worn smart devices in the Chinese market. (source: IDC)

Looking ahead, IDC notes that advanced connectivity options, deeper AI integration, and increasingly sophisticated health-tracking capabilities are expected to be the main growth drivers for the wearable market next year. These trends are likely to shape product strategies across all major brands, not just Apple.

Samsung placed fourth globally. The company experienced a decline in the first half of the year, but the launch of the Galaxy Watch 8 and Galaxy Watch 8 Classic in the third quarter helped reverse the trend, resulting in year-on-year shipment growth across the first three quarters.

FAQs

Q1. How did the global wrist-worn smart device market perform in Q1–Q3 2025?

Answer. Shipments crossed 150 million units, marking 10% year-on-year growth. Smartwatches led with 120M units (+7.3%), while fitness trackers surged 21.3% to 32.86M units.

Q2. Which brand led global smartwatch shipments during Q1–Q3 2025?

Answer. Huawei ranked first with 28.6M units shipped, driven by models like the Watch GT 6 and GT 6 Pro. Most sales (20.8M) were in China, though Huawei is expanding overseas.

Q3. Which was the fastest-growing Smartwatch brand among the top five?

Answer. Xiaomi secured second place globally with 27.9M units shipped, standing out as the fastest-growing brand thanks to budget-friendly devices like the Smart Band 10 and Redmi Watch series.

Also Read –

https://www.mymobileindia.com/global-smartwatch-market-sees-first-ever-decline-in-2024-reveals-counterpoint-research/

https://www.mymobileindia.com/fossil-exits-smartwatch-market/