Apple continues to command the global smartwatch market, with new industry figures confirming that no rival can currently challenge its position. However, a fresh contender is climbing rapidly in a closely watched wearable segment, reshaping the battle for second place.
While the smartphone and tablet markets recorded quarterly declines in shipments, driven by price rises and modest product upgrades over the previous six months, the wearable sector has proven more resilient. Rising component costs have affected this category to a far smaller degree so far. Some newer smartwatches carry higher prices than their predecessors, but the increases are relatively modest and too recent to appear in research covering the April to June 2026 period. Older models have not become costlier during that time, and ultra-affordable activity trackers have largely retained both their low prices and popularity.
Apple stays untouchable, but the silver medal is in play
The scale of Apple’s dominance in wearables is striking. An estimated 46 percent of smartwatches shipped worldwide between April and June 2026 were Apple Watches. That figure is down slightly from the 48 percent share the company held in the second quarter of 2025, yet it still leaves an enormous gap between Apple and its closest competitors.
The contest for second place has become notably more interesting. Garmin is now essentially tied with Samsung, with each holding around 15 percent of the market. Samsung’s share fell from 17 to 15 percent, while Garmin rose impressively from 11 to 15 percent. That growth likely contributed significantly to the smartwatch division’s overall 6 percent year-on-year expansion.
Huawei edges ahead in the wider wearable race
Because analytics firms often apply differing definitions of smartwatches and wearable devices, reported figures can vary considerably. One separate estimate placed Apple’s share of smartwatches sold between January and March 2026 at roughly 23 percent, a markedly different result from the 46 and 48 percent shares recorded elsewhere for comparable periods.
When the broader wearable industry is considered, including wearable bands, the rankings shift again. In this wider category, Huawei emerges as the global market leader, followed very closely by Xiaomi, with Apple placed third. The distinction reflects the inclusion of fitness bands, a segment in which Huawei and Xiaomi remain especially strong.
The figures underline a market in which Apple’s smartwatch leadership remains secure, even as competitors gain ground in adjacent wearable categories. Garmin’s rapid ascent to a joint-second position marks the most significant movement in the smartwatch standings for the quarter, with its share climbing from 11 to 15 percent year on year.
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Image: phonearena.com
