en.Wedoany.com Reported - The latest "Worldwide Quarterly Wearable Device Tracker" released by the International Data Corporation (IDC) shows that in the first quarter of 2026, the global wrist-worn device market shipped 47.05 million units, a year-on-year increase of 2.2%. The wrist-worn device market includes two product categories: smartwatches and wristbands. Among them, global smartwatch shipments reached 37.03 million units, up 4.8% year-on-year, while wristband shipments totaled 10.02 million units, down 6.1% year-on-year.
In terms of brand shipment rankings, Huawei ranked first with shipments of 9.5 million units, down 4.6% year-on-year, holding a market share of 20.2%. Apple shipped 8 million units, up 13.2% year-on-year, with a market share of 17%. Xiaomi shipped 8 million units, down 6.9% year-on-year, with a market share of 16.9%. Samsung shipped 2.7 million units, down 20.7% year-on-year, with a market share of 5.8%. Garmin shipped 2.4 million units, up 12.7% year-on-year, with a market share of 5.1%.
The IDC report points out that the global wrist-worn market in the first quarter of 2026 exhibited three notable characteristics. First, the performance of smartwatches and wristbands diverged: smartwatches achieved steady growth driven by functional upgrades, partially diverting users from wristbands, while wristbands continued to face pressure due to pre-exhausted demand from the previous year, rising storage costs, and the downward price trend of entry-level smartwatches. Second, the product price structure upgraded: entry-level products under $100 maintained shipment volumes through essential demand, while high-end models above $300 saw outstanding growth rates, supported by hardware and software iterations as well as upgrades in health and AI features. Third, regional development diverged: the Chinese market became the primary driver of global growth, fueled by new product launches and e-commerce promotions; the United States and Latin America experienced modest growth driven by replacement demand and increased penetration rates; while other regions saw subdued demand due to economic factors.
Specifically for the Chinese market, in the first quarter of 2026, wrist-worn device shipments reached 18.14 million units, up 3.5% year-on-year. Among these, adult smartwatch shipments totaled 8.88 million units, up 15.3% year-on-year; children's watch shipments reached 4.42 million units, up 22.4% year-on-year; and wristband shipments totaled 4.83 million units, down 22.2% year-on-year.
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