Market Insider – Apple, long considered the pioneer and undisputed leader of the smartwatch market since the debut of the Apple Watch in April 2015, has finally lost its crown. Data from the second quarter of 2025 reveals that Huawei has overtaken the tech giant to seize the top position in the global smartwatch market.
According to market research firm Counterpoint Research, the global smartwatch market saw an 8% increase in sales in Q2 2025 compared to the same period last year. However, it was Huawei that drove the most explosive growth.
Huawei’s Surge
Huawei’s smartwatch sales skyrocketed by 52% year-over-year in Q2 2025. This massive increase pushed its global market share to 21%, up 6% from Q2 2024, positioning Huawei as the world’s largest smartwatch vendor.
The surge is attributed primarily to robust growth in Huawei’s domestic market (China) and steady sales increases in neighboring regions, particularly Japan. The Japanese market has been a key factor; reports indicate that since Huawei appointed actor Takuya Kimura as a brand ambassador in April, its smartwatches have become increasingly popular among middle-aged and elderly consumers. A significant number of Japanese people aged 40 to 70 have chosen Huawei for their first smartwatch, focusing on health-tracking features like heart rate and blood pressure monitoring.
Apple’s Dip
In contrast, Apple saw its smartwatch sales decline by 3% in Q2 2025 compared to the previous year. Apple’s market share now stands at 17%, a drop from 19% a year ago, placing the company second globally.
Shifting Landscape
The overall market experienced notable shifts beyond the top two. Chinese brands Xiaomi and imoo secured the third and fourth spots with market shares of 9% and 7%, respectively. Both firms demonstrated strong growth, with sales increasing by 38% and 21% year-over-year, respectively.
Samsung mirrored Apple’s performance, with sales also declining by 3% in Q2 2025, causing its market share to slip from 7% to 6%. Despite the drop, Samsung held on to a spot in the top five global smartwatch vendors.
China Becomes the World’s Largest Smartwatch Market
Counterpoint Research also highlighted that China surpassed North America for the first time to become the world’s largest single market for smartwatches in Q2 2025. This milestone is directly tied to the strong sales of domestic brands.
A Counterpoint Research representative noted, “Chinese smartwatch brands are leading in terms of scale, feature set, and affordability compared to their global competitors.” The research firm forecasts a recovery for the global smartwatch market in 2025, projecting a 7% growth in sales compared to 2024.
