Since its inception in April 2015, the Apple Watch has been synonymous with the smartwatch revolution. However, as time has passed, the market dynamics have shifted dramatically. By the fourth quarter of 2015, the Apple Watch began making significant strides, ultimately capturing the top position in wrist-worn wearable shipments. Fast forward to today, and a remarkable twist has emerged in the wearables landscape.
Huawei Claims the Top Spot in the Smartwatch Arena
For years, Apple has dominated the wrist-worn wearable segment, consistently leading in shipment figures. Yet, a stunning development has occurred—Huawei has dethroned Apple as the foremost brand in this category.
Huawei has emerged as the leading brand for wrist-worn wearables.
The significance of Huawei's rise is magnified by the fact that the company has faced severe sanctions from the United States, making this achievement all the more surprising.
Apple briefly reclaimed its leadership position during Q3, coinciding with the launch of its latest smartwatch. However, as of now, Huawei holds a commanding 16.9% market share, surpassing Apple's 16.2% and Xiaomi's 14.7%.
In the first three quarters of 2024, Xiaomi's growth can be attributed to the popularity of the Xiaomi Band 9. With notable enhancements in screen brightness, battery capacity, and health tracking functionalities, Xiaomi shipped 20.5 million wrist-worn units, showcasing a 26.5% increase year-over-year.
China: The Dominant Market for Wearables
Samsung also made strides, shipping 11.5 million watches in the same timeframe—a 24.3% increase, buoyed by the release of the new Galaxy Watch Ultra.
The overall market witnessed a shipment of 139 million wrist-worn wearables, marking a slight decline of 1% compared to the previous year. Once again, China emerged as the largest market for these devices, with an impressive 45.8 million units shipped, representing a robust 20.1% year-over-year growth.
The rise of Huawei as the leading wrist-worn wearable brand coupled with China's booming market signifies a noteworthy shift in the wearables industry landscape.
