Wrist-Worn Tech Is Booming Again — And Xiaomi Is Stealing the Show

Frederick Nyame

June 12, 2025

The wrist-worn tech world is having a moment. After a bit of a slowdown, things have picked up again — and in a big way. IDC’s latest report shows that in the first quarter of 2025, companies shipped around 45.57 million smartwatches and fitness bands worldwide. That’s a healthy 10.5% increase compared to this time last year.

But the real story? China. The market there exploded, with shipments reaching 17.62 million units — a massive 37.6% jump. That kind of growth doesn’t happen by accident.

Smartwatches Are Growing, but Fitness Bands Are the Surprise Hit

Smartwatches are still leading the pack. Globally, 34.81 million units were shipped, which is nearly a 5% rise year over year. China played a big part in that, with over 11 million units shipped, showing a 25% growth. Not bad at all.

But fitness bands quietly stole the spotlight. Worldwide shipments hit 10.76 million, up 34%, and China’s numbers were even more impressive — 67.9% more fitness bands shipped compared to last year. That says a lot about what people are looking for: simple, affordable devices that just get the job done.

Xiaomi Wearables Climb to the Top

Xiaomi had a standout quarter. In China, it beat out some of the biggest names in the game. That success at home gave it the push it needed to grow even more in Latin America and across the Asia-Pacific region.

What’s working for Xiaomi? The strategy is pretty straightforward:

It sells affordable options under the Xiaomi and Redmi brands,
Then ups the game with the S series for people who want a bit more without paying a premium.

Read Also: Xiaomi’s Smart Band 10 Is Leaking Early—and It Looks Like a Solid Upgrade

This balance lets Xiaomi cater to just about everyone, from first-time buyers to more serious users. And let’s not forget HyperOS, which is helping tie its ecosystem together, making Xiaomi wearables feel more connected to the rest of their devices.

Other Players Are Shuffling Around

The wearable leaderboard isn’t what it used to be.

Huawei has taken the global top spot, thanks to strong sales in China and the success of HarmonyOS.
Apple just had its best growth in this category since 2002. Smart inventory moves and better pricing helped a lot.
Samsung is having a tougher time, mostly due to cheaper, feature-packed devices coming out of China.
Garmin is hanging in there too, thanks to a wider range of products and more competitive prices.

What’s Next?

This past quarter showed one thing clearly: wearables are far from slowing down. Whether it’s a budget fitness band or a premium smartwatch, people want these devices, and the market is delivering.

As 2025 rolls on, expect more smart features, more competition, and more choices. And if Xiaomi keeps this pace, don’t be surprised if they become one of the biggest names in wearables before the year is out.

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