Xiaomi has leapfrogged Apple to reclaim the top spot in the global wearable band market in Q1 2025, as the overall market grew 13% to 46.6 million units.
The Chinese brand shipped 8.7 million devices between January and March – up 44% year-on-year – giving it a 19% global market share, according to data from tech market analyst firm Canalys.
Apple followed with 7.6 million Apple Watch shipments and a 16% share.
Samsung saw the biggest growth among the top five, up 74% year-on-year to 4.9 million units, securing fourth place globally driven to a dual focus on premium smartwatches and entry-level bands.
It marks the first time since Q2 2021 that Xiaomi has led the category, driven by strong sales of the Redmi Band 5 and refreshed Smart Band and Watch lineups.
Canalys analyst Jack Leathem credited Xiaomi’s growth to “a broad portfolio and improved integration through HyperOS,” alongside competitive pricing in emerging economies.
Apple, operating solely in the premium segment, posted modest 5% growth, with analysts expecting a stronger second half as the brand prepares to mark the Apple Watch’s tenth anniversary.
Huawei came in third with 7.1 million units (15% share), buoyed by demand for its GT and Fit series, while Garmin rounded out the top five with 1.8 million units shipped.
With profit margins on hardware tightening, wearables brands are increasingly focusing on building connected platforms and offering services such as health tracking, fitness coaching and subscriptions to keep users engaged.
A Canalys consumer study in Europe showed buyers prioritise price, battery life, and health-tracking features when selecting a smartwatch, with sports features proving less influential.
With rumours circulating about Apple’s work on smart glasses and OpenAI’s push into hardware through its acquisition of Jony Ive’s startup “io,” the wearables space is set for more major changes in the coming years.
