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Your Apple Watch isn't the world's favorite anymore – another giant just crushed Apple's reign

The first smartwatch market recovery since 2024 leaves Apple behind as Chinese rivals take control.

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By Tsveta Ermenkova

Published: Aug 29, 2025, 8:05 AM

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A person holding the Apple Watch Series 10 in their hand.

Apple Watch Series 10. | Image credit – PhoneArena

The smartwatch market is making a comeback and for the first time ever, Apple isn't sitting at the top. Yep, another tech giant has taken the crown.

New research shows that Huawei just pulled off something it’s never done before: it beat Apple to the top of the smartwatch market. The Chinese tech giant pulled ahead in Q2 this year, driven by huge demand in its home market.

This shift also helped global smartwatch shipments rise 8% year-over-year, marking the first real recovery after five straight quarters of decline since early 2024.

Your Apple Watch isn't the world's favorite anymore – another giant just crushed Apple's reign

For the first time in quite a while, the global smartwatch market is on the rise.

And China is fueling much of this growth. Demand is soaring for health features, AI smarts and all-in-one devices. Leading the charge are Huawei, Xiaomi and Imoo, pushing smartwatches beyond simple wearables and turning them into everyday hubs for fitness, payments, calls, and even navigation.

Huawei surged ahead in the global smartwatch market with a remarkable 52% YoY increase in shipments, the highest among the world’s top 10 brands. Driven by its diverse product portfolio, robust domestic momentum, and competitive pricing across mid-to-premium tiers, Huawei overtook Apple to claim the top spot in global shipment leadership for the first time. With over three-fourths of its shipments concentrated in China and a majority of its portfolio skewed between $100 and $400, Huawei continues to deliver a compelling range of smartwatches that resonate across consumer segments. Beyond that, Huawei has been slowly expanding its presence in other regions like Europe, MEA and Asia Pacific, to broaden its user base globally. Its expanding smartphone user base in China, coupled with its integrated ecosystem strategy, played a pivotal role in driving this growth.

– Anshika Jain, Senior Research Analyst, August 2025

And as you can see from the images, while Huawei is celebrating (with 52% growth), Apple isn't having its best moment. The company's smartwatch shipments fell for the seventh quarter in a row, forcing it to give up the global top spot. Still, Apple remains the leader in the advanced smartwatch segment thanks to the strength of its iOS ecosystem and loyal user base.

While Apple and Samsung are seeing a decline, Chinese brands are flourishing.

Other brands also saw movement. Xiaomi and Imoo both posted strong shipment growth. Xiaomi dominated the basic smartwatch segment with affordable, wide-reaching offerings, while Imoo continued to crush the kids' smartwatch market with devices designed for younger users.

Samsung, however, joined Apple in the red, with shipments slipping 3% year-over-year. And a big factor behind Apple's and Samsung's dips is consumer hesitation, with many waiting for next-gen devices launching in Q3 2025. The Galaxy Watch 8 launched early in Q3, and Apple's next-generation smartwatches will debut on September 9.

That's right, Apple is expected to launch the Apple Watch Series 11, Watch Ultra 3, and Watch SE 3 soon – which could give its numbers a serious lift in the next quarter.

If you had to buy a smartwatch today, which brand would you go for?

Apple.

28.31%

Huawei.

17.65%

Samsung.

29.78%

Xiaomi.

0.74%

Other.

23.53%

However, it is no surprise that China was the driving force here. For the first time ever, the country became the world's top contributor to advanced smartwatch shipments in Q2 2025.

And this success is a mix of local loyalty, strong homegrown brands, government support and just how easily smartwatches fit into China’s apps – think payments, health tracking, and more. That is why they’ve become part of daily life. Meanwhile, places like North America saw drops in sales, which just makes China’s lead even bigger.

Looking ahead, the global smartwatch market is projected to grow around 7% in 2025. That boost will come from AI integration, smarter health sensors and improved accuracy in tracking. And from brands doubling down on their strategies, targeting both entry-level buyers and advanced users with diverse price points and features (something for everyone).

Plus, ecosystems like HarmonyOS, Wear OS and WatchOS are also expected to keep expanding to match this demand. With AI-driven insights, personalized health guidance and advanced sensors becoming the norm, smartwatches are well on their way to becoming the central hub of daily digital life.

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Tsveta, a passionate technology enthusiast and accomplished playwright, combines her love for mobile technologies and writing to explore and reveal the transformative power of tech. From being an early follower of PhoneArena to relying exclusively on her smartphone for photography, she embraces the immense capabilities of compact devices in our daily lives. With a Journalism degree and an explorative spirit, Tsveta not only provides expert insights into the world of gadgets and smartphones but also shares a unique perspective shaped by her diverse interests in travel, culture, and visual storytelling.

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