If 2024 was the year the smartwatch industry hit the snooze button, 2025 is the year it finally woke up and went full “beast mode.”
After a slow year, the global smartwatch market is officially back in action, tracking for 7% growth this 2025. The best part is that the playing field is more dynamic than ever. The leaderboard has been reshuffled, and that’s great news for us. With bold new contenders from China shaking up the status quo, we’re finally seeing the kind of fierce competition that leads to better features and smarter devices for everyone.
According to the latest data from market-research firm Counterpoint Research, a huge 31% of all smartwatches shipped this year are coming out of China. That shift has consequences.
Here are the top 5 smartwatch manufacturers defining 2025, ranked by who is actually winning the war for your wrist.
- Apple, aka The Comeback Kid
- Status: Back on top, with renewed energy.
- For a moment, it seemed like Apple was just taking a breather. But 2025 proves that patience pays off. After a period of recalibration, Cupertino has roared back to the top. Apple reclaimed its throne in Q3 2025 with a 23% jump in shipments, emphatically ending the dry spell and showing everyone that when it decides to move, the whole market moves with them. How? It stopped ignoring the entry-level and the ultrapremium buyers. The new Apple Watch SE 3 finally gave budget buyers a reason to upgrade, while the Apple Watch Ultra 3 continues to dominate the “I might climb Everest someday” demographic. Throw in the new hypertension-notification feature, and the American technology giant has reminded everyone why it owns this category: The ecosystem lock-in is real, but now the hardware is actually exciting again.
- HUAWEI, aka The Juggernaut
- Status: Growing faster than everyone else.
- If you’re ignoring HUAWEI because of the lack of Google services, you are missing the biggest story in wearables. HUAWEI briefly snatched the No. 1 global spot earlier this year and is projected to finish 2025 with a staggering 42% year-over-year growth. The company is absolutely crushing it in China, but its fashion-first hardware is gaining traction internationally. It is building watches that look like luxury timepieces rather than wrist-computers, and the battery life on its GT series continues to surpass the Apple Watch. HUAWEI is the reason the global market is growing at all right now.
- Xiaomi, aka The New Heavyweight
- Status: The rising star giving Samsung a run for its money.
- This is the headline-grabber. In a twist that would have seemed impossible three years ago, Xiaomi has overtaken Samsung to grab the No. 3 spot globally. Its success was not only about price. Xiaomi’s budget bands remain ubiquitous, yet strategy made the difference. By unifying its ecosystem with HyperOS, it has made its watches feel like a genuine extension of its phones rather than a cheap accessory. With a 22% shipment jump, Xiaomi has proven that you don’t need to charge so much to build a loyal fanbase.
- Samsung, aka The One in Transition
- Status: At a crossroads.
- 2025 is a year of recalibration for Samsung. Facing a surge of new models from China, the South Korean manufacturer adjusted to the fourth spot, but it remains the default choice for millions of Android users who want a premium experience. While others chase battery life or bottom-dollar pricing, Samsung has doubled down on consistency and polish. It is in a challenging spot, but with its massive research-and-development muscle, the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 has the potential to turn the tide and remind everyone why the brand helped invent this category.
- Imoo, aka The Sleeper Hit
- Status: The king of the playground.
- “Who?” If you don’t have kids, you might not know Imoo. If you do, you know it is the absolute dominant force in the “child smartwatch” market. Imoo — owned by BBK Electronics, the same giant behind OPPO and vivo — grew 17% this year. It isn’t trying to sell you fitness tracking; it is selling parents peace of mind with stellar GPS and communication features. It’s a niche, but it’s a big one, and it’s propelled Imoo comfortably into the global top 5, beating out household names like Garmin and Fitbit.
So you see, the hierarchy has evolved. The era of the simple Apple vs Samsung duopoly has given way to a vibrant, multiplayer landscape. 2025 showed that success now comes from more than incremental upgrades and that it requires bold, feature-led innovation like AI-powered health coaching and the promise of 5G RedCap connectivity on the horizon.
Samsung is at a pivotal moment, ready to redefine its strengths. Apple continues to build on its momentum with fresh opportunities ahead. And the Chinese giants? They’re accelerating with impressive energy, adding new dimensions to the international competition.
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