Your smartwatch is probably good enough, and the market knows it

[phillynews215]

TL;DR

• Global smartwatch shipments fell 4% year over year in Q2 2026, as people held onto their existing watches for longer.
• Huawei led global shipments, while Apple posted the fastest growth among the top five smartwatch brands.
• Counterpoint expects just 1% shipment growth in 2026, but AI and advanced health features could give users more reason to upgrade.

Buying a new smartwatch has become difficult. If the one on your wrist still tracks your workouts, shows your notifications, and gets you through the day, why spend another few hundred dollars on a new one? Plenty of people are asking themselves the same question.

New data from Counterpoint Research shows that global smartwatch shipments fell 4% year over year in Q2 2026. That’s notable because there are more choices than ever, ranging from cheap watches that cover the basics to expensive models loaded with health and fitness features. But having more watches to choose from doesn’t necessarily mean people want to replace the ones they already own.




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