Samsung in difficulty in the global market of smartwatches: outside the podium in Q1 2025

Despite his efforts in the wearable device segment and the success of the Galaxy Watch among users, with the release of cutting -edge devices in indomitable technology, Samsung is losing ground in the global market of smartwatch and Smart Band.

According to a report published by IDC (International Data Corporation), the South Korean technological giant is placed at Fourth place in the world ranking of shipping devices shipments in the first quarter of 2025.

A fact that only partially surprises, but which still represents an alarm bell for the company: in a generally growing sector, Samsung records not only a decline in position, but also of sales and market shares. Let’s clarify.

Follow Samsung Italia on Telegram, Receive news and offers first

The numbers: Samsung collapses, while the competition flies

According to the IDC report, Samsung sent 3.4 million smartwatch and Smart Band in the first three months of 2025, against the 3.6 million recorded in the same period of 2024. It is a modest drop in absolute terms, but alarming if compared with the performance of the competitors.

In Q1 2025, The company’s market share dropped from 8.8% to 7.5%positioning it in fourth place globally, behind:

• Huaweiwhich conquers the summit with 10 million of units sent and a share of the 21.9%
• Xiaomisecond with 8.7 million of unity e 19% of Market Share
• The usual Apple, third with 7 million Of Apple Watch shipped, equal to 15.5% market share

What makes the impression, compared to the numbers of Samsung, is the growth trend of the first three companies. Both Huawei and Xiaomi score an impressive +42% year on yearwhile Apple, historical rival of the Korean giant, grows by 37.2% compared to last year. Samsung, on the other hand, is the only one of the big names to record a given in contraction.

The possible reasons for this negative trend

The IDC analysis brings out an interesting dualism. If on the one hand Samsung is recognized as a leader in the category of smartwatches with Wear OSthanks to devices such as Galaxy Watch 7 e Galaxy Watch UltraOn the other hand, he cannot impose himself in the global sales market as a whole, which includes, specify, both smartwatch and fitness tracker.

What emerges is one strategic gap That is, Samsung is mainly concentrated on high -end smartwatch, leaving a very profitable market band or that of economic devices and smart bands where Xiaomi and Huawei dominate with proposals of excellent workmanship at cheap prices.

Put simply, Samsung excels in the high end, but He cannot compete in the mass due to the lack of devices in these segments.

An almost ironic figure if you think that the South Korean brand has been for years at the top of the smartphone sales charts, next to sacred monsters such as the iPhone on duty, thanks to its medium-low band models such as the Galaxy A.

A strategy that Samsung would not be able to re -propose also in the wearable sector.

For the South Korean company, therefore, competing on the ground of economic devices, where Huawei and Xiaomi dominate, becomes more and more difficultalso due to a poorly flexible commercial policy and a less varied catalog in the segment below 100 euros.

Galaxy Watch 8 and Watch Ultra 2: hope for relaunching

It is now well known, thanks to rumors and increasingly concrete rumorsthat Samsung is preparing the relaunch in the sector wearable with the arrival, scheduled for the 9 July 2025of the new ones Galaxy Watch 8 And Galaxy Watch Ultra 2. The official details have not yet been confirmed, but the expectations are high as evidenced by the latest items that speak of a completely new design, the return of the Classic version and many news regarding the measurement of health parameters.

However, these models will hardly be enough to fill the gap with Huawei and Xiaomi, unless Samsung alongside one more aggressive strategy in the entry-level bandperhaps relaunching a smart band under 50 euros.

In short, the data of the IDC report are clear: Samsung can no longer count only on the quality of its premium smartwatches to compete in the global market. The expansion of the wearable segment, according to the figures, requires one balanced strategy that combines premium innovation with low -end sales volumesthe same strategy that Samsung manages to successfully implement in the smartphone sector.

We will see how much the release of Galaxy Watch 8 and Ultra 2 can help to raise the fate of the wearable division of the company and try to regain the podium.