Global wrist wearable sales jumped 10.5% in early 2025. with Huawei seizing the top spot for the first time. New data from IDC shows 45.6 million devices shipped worldwide between January and March.

China’s market exploded—up 37.6% with 17.6 million units sold—while regions like Western Europe, Latin America, and the U.S. saw steady growth. Smartwatch shipments rose 4.8% to 34.8 million, but fitness bands stole the show with a 34% surge (10.8 million units).

Huawei’s win came through HarmonyOS ecosystem power and hit products like the Band 10. FIT4. and WATCH 5 series. Its cross-device features boosted premium sales while dominating China’s market.

Samsung lost ground, squeezed by budget rivals and pressure from Apple, Huawei, and Garmin in high-end fitness watches.