Your smartwatch is probably good enough

The smartwatch upgrade itch isn’t quite as itchy as it once was. Your smartwatch is probably good enough, and the market knows it. Global smartwatch shipments fall 4% as users hold off on upgrades.

Wearables and health Your smartwatch is probably good enough, and the market knows it The smartwatch upgrade itch isn’t quite as itchy as it once was. 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.