Wearables Market Polarizes: Only Smartwatches and Screenless Devices Are Growing

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Wearables Market Polarizes: Only Smartwatches and Screenless Devices Are Growing

Global wearable band shipments fell 2% year-over-year in the second quarter of 2026, even as the market bifurcated sharply between high-performance smartwatches and screenless ultra-lightweight devices. Smartwatch shipments rose 6%, while basic bands and basic watches declined 9% and 3%, respectively. Apple maintained its smartwatch leadership with a 46% share, while Samsung Electronics and Garmin each captured roughly 15%, with Garmin surging from 11% a year earlier. In the overall wearable band market, Huawei led with an 18% share. Screenless products accounted for more than 15% of basic band shipments following the launch of Google's Fitbit Air and Garmin's Cirqa. Looking ahead to the second half, rising component costs—particularly memory—are expected to drive price increases across the category.

Key Elements

The global wearable band market is stagnating, but consumer demand is clearly polarizing between high-performance smartwatches and screenless ultra-lightweight devices, according to new analysis.

Market research firm Omdia reported that global wearable band shipments declined 2% year-over-year in the second quarter of this year. Basic bands, which include standard fitness trackers, fell 9%, while basic watches dropped 3%. A key factor was the slowdown in India, a market that had previously seen explosive growth in low-cost smartwatch shipments.

Smartwatch shipments, by contrast, grew 6%. Omdia diagnosed a clear bifurcation in consumer preferences: demand is concentrating on two ends of the spectrum—minimalist health-tracking devices that can be worn all day without a screen, and high-performance sports watches that deliver precise workout data and extended battery life.

Smartwatches: Apple Dominates as Garmin Closes In

In the smartwatch segment, Apple (AAPL) held the top spot with a 46% global share. Samsung Electronics (005930.KS) and Garmin each recorded approximately 15%. Samsung narrowly retained second place, but Garmin surged from an 11% share a year earlier and is now nipping at Samsung's heels.

Jason Low, research director at Omdia, said: "Garmin's market share gains demonstrate that consumers are increasingly willing to pay a premium for devices that deliver accurate, sophisticated training data and translate it into actionable insights."

Garmin's growth is rooted in specialized features for running, cycling, and outdoor activities. The company has recently expanded its Forerunner lineup, broadening its customer base beyond elite athletes to mainstream consumers.

In the overall wearable band market, Huawei led with an 18% share, up 1 percentage point from 17% in the year-ago quarter. Cross-platform compatibility—working regardless of smartphone operating system—and expanded health and fitness features underpinned the growth. Huawei also recently launched a flagship children's smartwatch globally, marking a milestone in its international expansion of cellular wearable products.

According to preliminary figures released in the same announcement, the full wearable band market rankings—including smartwatches, basic bands, and basic watches—are as follows. Second-place Xiaomi slipped from 19% a year earlier to 17%, while Apple edged up from 15% to 16% on a total-market basis.

The Rise of Screenless Devices

Screenless wearables—devices with no display at all—are emerging as a new growth category. With the launch of Google's Fitbit Air and Garmin's Cirqa, screenless products accounted for more than 15% of basic band shipments in the second quarter.

Screenless devices use sensors instead of a display to collect data on sleep, activity, and heart rate, with results viewed on a smartphone. Their key advantages include extended battery life and reduced wearing burden thanks to the elimination of screen usage.

"The early momentum is encouraging, but sustained success will require reliability improvements and careful feature expansion," said Jason Low. "They will need to compete effectively against established rivals that focus on performance."

Second-Half Wildcard: Rising Component Costs

In the second half of the year, rising costs for components such as memory and storage are expected to emerge as another variable for wearable makers. Price increases are already underway for some high-performance sports watches, including Samsung's Galaxy Watch lineup.

Omdia projects that as cost pressures intensify in the second half of 2026, leading brands with mature ecosystems will need to justify higher prices by demonstrating product value through deeper device integration and personalized AI features. Product differentiation is expected to center on data insight quality, battery life, and cross-platform experience.

"The wearable market is being reshaped around two pillars: screenless trackers and sports watches," said Jason Low. "Consumers are showing willingness to pay premium prices for products that deliver accurate data and actionable insights."

Source

- finance.biggo.com (2026-08-16) - Original article: Wearables Market Polarizes: Only Smartwatches and Screenless Devices Are Growing — BigGo Finance