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On August 1, news emerged that in the first half of this year, has your wrist become more “intelligent”? According to fresh data from Loto Technology, the online market for smartwatches among Chinese adults has exploded: total sales surged to 7.432 million units, a year-on-year increase of 62.7%; sales revenue reached an astonishing 11.95 billion yuan, a growth of 79.8%. This means that the average price per watch reached 1,608 yuan—consumers are clearly willing to spend more for high-end features.
The market landscape has also undergone a significant reshuffle: Huawei has claimed the top spot with a 34.0% market share, pushing its long-time rival Apple to second place (29.4%). Together with Xiaomi (13.0%), Vivo (2.3%), and Honor (2.1%), the top five brands now account for 80.8% of the market, an increase of 12 percentage points compared to the same period last year—leaving less room for smaller players.
Huawei’s Rise: Not Just Sentiment
Huawei’s explosive growth is nothing short of phenomenal: sales increased by 84.6% year-on-year, and its market share rose by 4 percentage points compared to last year. Behind this impressive performance is a solid foundation of technological strength. Self-developed chips, seamless integration with the HarmonyOS ecosystem, and a product matrix covering multiple price segments form Huawei’s competitive moat. Particularly, the Watch 5 series launched in June, with its upgraded sensor array and enhanced sports health monitoring capabilities, has precisely targeted the high-end market—this segment is the sweetest but also the hardest to conquer.
Apple’s Stronghold: The High-End Throne Remains Steady
Although its market share has been surpassed by Huawei, Apple still achieved a year-on-year growth of 93.2%, with a 4.7% increase in market share—this is impressive considering there were no new products to support it. The secret lies in its firm grip on the high-end battlefield: in the price segment above 2,000 yuan, Apple dominates with over 70% of sales, and its revenue continues to lead. National policies for trade-ins undoubtedly fueled upgrades among Apple fans. Apple proves with its strength that in the high-end market, it still defines the rules.
Xiaomi Holds Steady in the Top Three, Vivo Emerges as the Biggest Dark Horse
Xiaomi maintained a 13.0% market share, with a year-on-year growth of over 107%. With its complete ecosystem and cost-performance advantages, it continues to attract fans in the thousand-yuan market.
The most astonishing is Vivo’s comeback: sales skyrocketed by 269.9% year-on-year, the highest growth among the top five! Its first square smartwatch, the Watch GT, played a crucial role: its unique design breaks the aesthetic fatigue of round dials, and its long battery life addresses the biggest pain point of smartwatches, combined with a friendly price point that hits the mark—this combination directly resonates with consumers.
In contrast, Honor appears somewhat lackluster, with its market share slightly dropping to 2.1%, becoming the only brand in the top tier to experience negative growth.
Loto Technology’s report reveals a more competitive and prosperous market: smartwatches have surpassed mere pedometers to become the central hub for health management and an entry point into the ecosystem. Huawei’s self-developed technology is directly challenging Apple’s high-end dominance, while Vivo’s blockbuster product has created a comeback myth—in this close combat, innovation and precise positioning are the keys to breaking through. As thousand-yuan devices sell well, Apple quietly profits in the 2,000+ market, once again proving: those who dominate the high-end will dominate the world. The battle on our wrists has never been so intense.
