The global market for wrist-worn smart devices continued to grow in the first three quarters of the year, driven by rising demand for both smartwatches and basic fitness trackers. New data from IDC shows solid shipment growth, with Chinese brands strengthening their positions worldwide.
Huawei Leads Global Market Huawei ranked as the leading global vendor during the period, shipping 28.6 million wrist-worn devices. The Huawei Watch GT 6 and Watch GT 6 Pro were key contributors to this performance. IDC noted that 20.8 million of Huawei’s shipments were delivered in China, highlighting the company’s strong domestic position.
Global Shipments Rise IDC reported that more than 150 million wrist-worn smart devices were shipped globally during the first nine months of the year, a 10% increase compared to last year. Smartwatches accounted for nearly 120 million of those shipments (up 7.3%), while fitness trackers grew by 21.3% to 32.86 million units.
Xiaomi Posts Fastest Growth Xiaomi secured the second spot globally, shipping 27.9 million units. This was supported by strong demand for affordable devices like the Xiaomi Smart Band 10 and various Redmi Watch models, particularly in Southeast Asia and South America.
Apple and Samsung Performance
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Apple: Ranked third globally, continuing its focus on mid-range and high-end devices. Their strategy centered on connectivity features like 5G and satellite messaging rather than low-priced segments.
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Samsung: Placed fourth globally. Despite a slow first half of the year, shipments improved in Q3 following the launch of the Galaxy Watch8 and Watch8 Classic.
Future Trends IDC expects future growth to be driven by advances in connectivity, deeper AI integration, and increasingly sophisticated health tracking features across all major brands.
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