The smartwatch market, despite being less affected by the surge in memory prices compared to other mobile devices, saw a 4% year-on-year increase in shipments during the first quarter of 2026. However, Samsung did not contribute significantly to this growth, experiencing a decline in its smartwatch shipments. In contrast, Apple and several Chinese brands reported gains. Samsung’s global market share in smartwatch shipments dropped from 7% in the first quarter of 2025 to 5% in the same period of 2026. Meanwhile, Apple solidified its lead, capturing over 23% of the global market, up from 20% the previous year. Apple drove much of the market’s overall growth, dominating over half of all smartwatch shipments in North America and achieving the fastest growth in China and Europe. Chinese brands like Huawei, Imoo, and Xiaomi also increased their shipments, partly due to government-backed subsidies. Looking forward, analysts predict that the smartwatch sector will face challenges from memory shortages and broader economic pressures throughout 2026. Although the average selling price of smartwatches has risen due to advanced features and memory costs, the impact of memory shortages is expected to be less severe than in other electronics. Samsung plans to release a new range of smartwatches, including the Galaxy Watch 9 series and Galaxy Watch Ultra 2, this summer, aiming to maintain its competitiveness against Apple.
Is Samsung losing ground to Apple in the smartwatch market?
