According to the latest numbers from Counterpoint Research, global smartwatch shipments increased by 4% year-over-year during the first quarter of 2026 with Apple managing to cement its position at the absolute top.
Apple Watch secured a commanding 23% share of all global smartwatch shipments during the quarter. The tech giant’s shipment volume spiked by an impressive 21% year-over-year, making it the fastest-growing brand among the top ten smartwatch manufacturers worldwide.
While North America remained Apple’s fortress, contributing more than half of the company’s total shipments, the brand saw its most rapid acceleration in Europe and China. Buyers responded incredibly well to the latest health upgrades on the main Apple Watch models, while the budget-friendly Apple Watch SE 3 acted as a major entry point for first-time smartwatch buyers.
Outside of Apple’s dominance, the biggest story of the quarter unfolded in China, where smartwatch shipments surged by 15% year-over-year. This localized boom was heavily fueled by extended government electronics subsidies, which made high-end upgrades much more accessible to everyday consumers.
Huawei was the primary beneficiary of this trend, capturing roughly 40% of the total shipment share inside China. The company has focused heavily on deep ecosystem integration and hyper-advanced biometric tracking, including emotional well-being monitoring, deep sleep tracking, and complex arrhythmia analysis. Other regional players like Xiaomi also experienced strong quarters by tapping into this regional demand.
Looking ahead, the industry does face a few headwinds. Ongoing global memory chip shortages and broader macroeconomic pressures are expected to put a small damper on the total growth rate for the remainder of 2026. However, analysts note that the smartwatch sector will likely suffer far less than other consumer electronics categories.
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