Omdia: Wearable Shipments Fall 2% as Consumers Shift to Screenless Trackers and Advanced Sports Watches

Key Terms

screenless trackers technical

Devices or sensors that collect biometric, location, motion, or environmental data but do not include a built-in display; they record or stream information to a paired phone, cloud service, or other hub for viewing and analysis. Like a wristwatch with no face that quietly sends data to your phone, these trackers matter to investors because their form factor, battery life, data capabilities, and integration with software and services affect product adoption, recurring revenue models, privacy and regulatory risk, and partnerships across consumer, healthcare, and industrial markets.

sell-in shipments technical

Sell-in shipments are the products a manufacturer or supplier sends to distributors, wholesalers or retailers during a reporting period; they count as sales to the channel but not yet as purchases by end customers. Investors watch sell-in because it shows how much stock is moving into the sales pipeline—like a factory delivering boxes to stores—which can signal future revenue growth but may overstate demand if retailers are simply building up inventory rather than selling to consumers.

cross-platform smartphone compatibility technical

Ability of an app, feature, or service to run reliably across different smartphone operating systems (like Android and iOS) and a range of device models, preserving core functionality and user experience. It matters to investors because broader compatibility can expand potential customers, reduce friction in adoption, influence development and support costs, and affect revenue scale and predictability—think of it like a universal charger that fits many phones.

See more from StockTitan in Google Search and AI answers. Adds StockTitan as a preferred source · opens Google

Add on Google Not now

LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Global wearable band shipments fell 2% year over year in 2Q26, but the headline decline masks a growing divide in consumer demand according to the latest estimates from Omdia. Smartwatch shipments grew 6% on the strength of advanced sports models, while new screenless basic bands gained momentum as consumers increasingly gravitated towards either minimalist devices or more sophisticated sports watches.

Worldwide wearable band shipments, 1Q23 to 2Q26

By contrast, the broader basic band category declined 9% as major vendors adjusted launch cadence and product lifecycles, while basic watches slipped 3% amid waning appeal, particularly in India where earlier shipment surges did not carry into 2026.

"The 2Q wearables market is splitting into two clear winners," said Jason Low, Research Director at 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."

Advanced features shape smartwatch competition

Apple retained a commanding lead in smartwatches, with 46% global share, while Garmin posted the largest share gain among non‑Apple vendors reaching 15% and drawing level with Samsung. Samsung remained marginally ahead in second place.

Garmin’s progress reflects resilient demand for advanced use cases including running, cycling, and outdoor activities, supported by its efforts to broaden accessibility of its portfolio through recent additions to the Forerunner series.

"Garmin's market share gains highlight a clear trend: consumers are increasingly willing to pay premium prices for devices that deliver accurate, advanced training data and translate it into actionable insights," Low added. "Garmin has built its brand around data quality and performance features and that positioning is resonating strongly with broader group of consumers."

Huawei led the overall wearable band market with an 18% share in 2Q 2026, up one percentage point from 17% in 2Q 2025. Its performance was supported by continued expansion of its wearable portfolio, including the global launch of its flagship children's smartwatch.

“This launch marks an important milestone as Huawei expands its cellular wearables portfolio to international markets,” said Cynthia Chen, Research Manager at Omdia. “Huawei’s wearables are thriving globally supported by cross-platform smartphone compatibility and offer comprehensive health and fitness features, such as its new Diabetes Risk Study that appeals to a broad consumer base.”

Screenless trackers surpassed 15% among basic band category

While the overall basic band segment, typically known as fitness trackers, continues to face headwinds, screenless models are emerging as a distinct growth area.

Following recent launches of Google’s Fitbit Air and Garmin’s Cirqa, screenless devices accounted for more than 15% of basic band shipments during the quarter. Shipments of Fitbit Air ramped quickly, positioning it as a credible alternative in the screenless band segment.

“Early momentum is encouraging, but sustained success will require continued improvements in stability and a thoughtful expansion of features to compete effectively with performance-oriented incumbents such as Whoop,” Low said.

Across wearable bands, rising memory and storage costs are pushing average selling prices higher, reflected in recent price increases in Samsung’s Galaxy Watch series and subsequent moves in select advanced sports watch lines. Leading brands with established ecosystems should showcase deeper device integration and enhanced personal AI features to demonstrate value and justify premium pricing. Omdia expects vendors to further differentiate around insight quality, battery life, and cross‑platform experiences amid rising cost pressure in the second half of 2026.

Worldwide wearable band market share split Omdia Preliminary Wearable Band Market: 2Q26
Vendor	2Q26 market share	2Q25 market share
Huawei	18%	17%
Xiaomi	17%	19%
Apple	16%	15%
Samsung	6%	9%
Garmin	6%	4%
Others	38%	36%
Note: Preliminary estimates are subject to change on final release. Xiaomi includes Redmi Source: Omdia Connected Life Horizon Service (wearable band sell-in shipments), August 2026

Worldwide wearable band market share split Omdia Preliminary Smartwatch Market: 2Q26
Vendor	2Q26 market share	2Q25 market share
Apple	46%	48%
Samsung	15%	17%
Garmin	15%	11%
Huawei	7%	7%
XTC (imoo)	6%	5%
Others	10%	12%
Note: Preliminary estimates are subject to change on final release. Xiaomi includes Redmi Source: Omdia Connected Life Horizon Service (wearable band sell-in shipments), August 2026

ABOUT OMDIA

Omdia, part of TechTarget, Inc. d/b/a Informa TechTarget (Nasdaq: TTGT), is a technology research and advisory group. Our deep knowledge of tech markets grounded in real conversations with industry leaders and hundreds of thousands of data points, make our market intelligence our clients’ strategic advantage. From R&D to ROI, we identify the greatest opportunities and move the industry forward.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260813100069/en/

Media Contact:
Fasiha Khan: fasiha.khan@omdia.com
Eric Thoo: eric.thoo@omdia.com

Source: Omdia