A recent report from IDC Market Research indicates that the wearable smart device market, which includes smartwatches and basic fitness trackers, has surpassed 150 million units shipped during the first three quarters of this year, with an increase of 10% compared to the same period last year.
Of these units, smartwatches constituted about 120 million units, an increase of 7.3% on an annual basis, while simple fitness trackers saw a larger rise of 21.3%, reaching 32.86 million units, driven by consumer demand for economical and simple options.
"Huawei" maintains the lead
Huawei ranked first globally during the first nine months of 2025, supported by the success of the Huawei Watch GT 6 and Watch GT 6 Pro.
The total shipments reached 28.6 million units, but the vast majority, about 20.8 million, were shipped within China.
The company is working on enhancing its presence in foreign markets to expand its global share.
"Xiaomi" the fastest growing
"Xiaomi" ranked second globally and was the fastest-growing among the top five manufacturers, with 27.9 million units shipped.
Economical models such as the Xiaomi Smart Band 10 and the Redmi Watches series contributed to this growth, with strong performance in China, in addition to a significant presence in Southeast Asia and South America.
"Apple" and "Samsung" among the competitors
"Apple" ranked third globally and fourth in China, focusing on mid-range and high-end models, and developing advanced connectivity features like 5G and satellite messaging.
On the other hand, "Samsung" has been recovering after a decline in the first half of the year, thanks to the launch of the Galaxy Watch8 and Galaxy Watch8 Classic in the third quarter, which raised its annual shipment figures.
"IDC" indicates that advanced connectivity technologies, integration of artificial intelligence applications, and the development of health tracking features will remain the main drivers for market growth over the next year, and this will include all major companies, not just "Apple".
