- Global shipments reached 50.2 million units, up 13% year on year
- Market value expected to exceed US$40 billion as smartwatch demand rises
What happened: Strong consumer demand drives wearable band market growth
Wearable band shipments climbed to 50.2 million units in the second quarter of 2025, marking a 13% increase compared with the same quarter in 2024. This growth sets a new record for the segment. Rising demand for health, fitness, and wellness tracking helped push the figures higher, with emerging markets showing the strongest appetite. Analysts forecast the market will expand by around 8% for the full year 2025, with continued acceleration into 2026.
Smartwatches remain the higher value category despite making up less than one third of unit shipments. They accounted for nearly 70% of total market value last year, pushing the overall market to more than US$36 billion. Xiaomi led growth by shipping 9.5 million units, a 61% increase, while Huawei shipped 8.8 million units, up 47%. Samsung also posted strong gains, shipping 4.3 million units, a 52% rise. Apple maintained its premium position with 7.6 million devices shipped, but its market share slipped to 15.2% as overall competition intensified.
Also read: Xiaomi tops wearables market in Q1 2025
Also read: Deutsche Telekom brings 5G RedCap to Apple Watch
Why it’s important
The surge in wearable band shipments shows how consumers are adopting connected devices at scale. Falling prices and improved health tracking features have made basic wearables an entry point into broader smart ecosystems. Vendors now focus on building services and apps around their devices to create steady revenue beyond hardware sales.
Telecom operators see new opportunities as more wearable devices require wireless or cellular connections. Bundled data plans and partnerships with device makers are emerging as growth drivers. App developers and health technology firms also benefit from the expanding base of users generating valuable sensor data.
From a supply chain perspective, achieving 50 million units in a single quarter demonstrates the maturity of global manufacturing and logistics despite lingering chip shortages. The transition toward advanced smartwatches is expected to accelerate, setting a high bar for innovation in features, battery efficiency, and ecosystem integration over the next year.
