Huawei has seized the top spot in the global wrist-worn market from Apple in the first quarter of 2025, a period marked by a surprising resurgence of basic fitness trackers.
That’s according to a new report from the analysts at IDC, at least, who suggest that the global market for wrist-worn wearables grew by 10.5% in Q1, with 45.6 million units shipped. While smartwatches saw modest growth of 4.8%, the real story was the explosive 34% rise in fitness band shipments. IDC notes that the trend was largely fueled by a massive 37.6% market surge in China.
Huawei’s ascent, it’s said, has been driven by its integrated HarmonyOS ecosystem and strong sales of its new, affordable Band 10. Following a hiatus last year to launch the mid-range Watch GT 5 series, the company’s latest premium watch—the Huawei Watch 5—will undoubtedly have contributed, too.
Despite losing the top position (for this financial quarter, at least), Apple recorded its strongest shipment growth since 2023. IDC speculates that this was due to US retailers stocking up ahead of potential tariffs and competitive pricing in China.
Changes in China the key driver
The boom in China is being significantly propelled by government subsidies and a new national ‘Healthy Weight Management Action’ plan. This three-year campaign aims to combat obesity and is expected to drive further adoption of health-focused wearables.
Xiaomi also saw rapid growth—again, particularly on its home soil— while Garmin’s never-ending launches helped it re-enter the global top five.
IDC also predicts China’s wrist-worn market will grow by 36.9% in 2025, indicating that the current momentum (especially the renewed interest in simpler, health-focused trackers) will continue to shape the global wearable landscape.
As ever with these reports, the estimates will vary among different analyst firms. However, as we close out Q2 next week, we’ll be keeping a keen eye on whether these trends continue to hold.
