Huawei secured the top position in the global smartwatch market during the second quarter of 2025, surpassing Apple for the first time. Data released by Counterpoint Research reveals this shift in the competitive landscape, highlighting significant growth for the Chinese tech company.
Huawei experienced a substantial 52% year-on-year growth in smartwatch sales, marking the highest growth rate among the world’s top ten brands. This performance enabled Huawei to achieve a 21% share of global smartwatch shipments, exceeding Apple’s shipment volume for the quarter.
Counterpoint’s analysis attributes Huawei’s success to several factors, including its strong performance within China and its strategic expansion into various other regions. This expansion strategy has allowed Huawei to broaden its reach and capture a larger share of the global market.
Anshika Jain, Senior Research Analyst at Counterpoint, stated, “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.” The research firm also noted that Huawei’s wearable shipments are primarily concentrated in China, specifically within the $100 to $400 price range. The company is actively working to broaden its reach into Europe, the Middle East and Africa (MEA), and the Asia Pacific region to further expand its global user base.
While Huawei experienced substantial growth, Apple secured the second position, holding 17% of the sales share. However, Apple recorded a 3% decline in its sales figures. Despite this decline, Apple continues to lead the “advanced smartwatch segment,” leveraging the popularity of its iOS ecosystem.
Xiaomi secured the third spot, demonstrating a 38% year-on-year shipment growth. Conversely, Samsung ranked fifth with a 3% year-on-year decline in shipments. Counterpoint anticipates Samsung will regain momentum during the third quarter of the year. Imoo also experienced considerable growth, largely due to its popularity in the kids’ wearables segment.
