As global wearable band shipments slipped two percent year-on-year in Q2, a divide is widening in consumer demand that favours market leaders at both ends of the product spectrum, according to Omdia.
Smartwatch shipments rose six percent, driven by high-performance sports models. By contrast, basic bands dropped nine percent and entry-level watches fell three percent with India seeing a particularly sharp slowdown after earlier surges cooled into 2026.
Apple dominated the smartwatch category with 46 percent global market share. Garmin posted the strongest share growth among non-Apple vendors with 15 percent share, drawing level with Samsung, which held a slim lead for second place thanks to strong demand for advanced running, cycling and outdoor tracking capabilities.
Across the full wearable band market, Huawei led at 18 percent, followed by Xiaomi (17 percent) and Apple (16 percent).
Amid the gloom is the bright spark provided by screenless trackers, which now account for more than 15 percent of basic band shipments following recent launches such as Google’s Fitbit Air and Garmin’s Cirqa. The Fitbit Air has seen rapid adoption to establish itself as a strong contender in the screenless segment.
“The 2Q wearables market is splitting into two clear winners,” said Jason Low, Research Director of Omdia. “Consumers want either minimalist, screenless trackers they can wear 24/7 or feature-rich sports watches with superior accuracy and multi-day battery life. Premium and screenless devices are gaining ground, while basic watches and mid-tier smartwatches are being left behind.”
The growing divide puts pressure on manufacturers to choose between ultra-simple, always-available health tracking and premium sports and wellness platforms built on precision sensors and long battery life.
Entelechy Asia 