The tables have turned: Apple is no longer the leader in smartwatches

Metaverse Planet August 29, 2025Last Updated: August 29, 2025

0 1 minute read

Huawei has surpassed Apple for the first time to become the leader in the global smartwatch market. The company, achieving a 52% growth, managed to stand out with strong demand in China and a wide product range.

The dynamics in the global smartwatch market are shifting. According to Counterpoint Research’s 2025 second-quarter report, Huawei has risen to leadership for the first time, leaving Apple behind. The biggest driving force behind Huawei’s success was the size of the Chinese market.

Leadership has passed to Huawei

According to the report, global smartwatch shipments broke a five-quarter downward trend, showing an 8% year-over-year increase. During this period, Huawei made the most significant leap by increasing its shipments by 52%. Behind this success lies its wide range of products, especially in the $100–$400 price range, and the strengthening of its smartphone-IoT integration. Although more than 75% of the company’s shipments came from China, expansion into the EMEA and Asia-Pacific regions also supported its growth. It was emphasized that the local market effect, product diversity, and ecosystem harmony are behind Huawei’s success. On the Apple front, the picture is the opposite. The company’s shipments fell by 3% in the second quarter. Thus, Apple experienced a decline for the seventh consecutive quarter. Nevertheless, Apple maintains its leadership in the premium segment thanks to its precision in health tracking and its loyal iOS user base.

Among the other players in the market, Xiaomi grew by 38% with its affordable models. imoo, known for its smartwatches for children, continued its leadership in its segment with a 21% increase. Samsung, on the other hand, experienced a 3% decline as the Galaxy Watch 7 failed to gain the expected momentum. Counterpoint forecasts that the global smartwatch market will grow by 3% overall in 2025.