Xiaomi overtakes Apple to become the world's top wearable maker

Apple still has a sizeable lead over rivals in the global smartwatch market.

What you need to know

• Xiaomi became the top wearable band vendor in the second quarter of 2021.
• The company shipped 8 million wearable bands in the April to June period.
• Apple remained the world's top smartwatch vendor during the quarter, with a market share of 31.1%.

Xiaomi dethroned Apple to become the world's largest wearable band vendor in the second quarter of the year, according to data published by Canalys. Xiaomi's solid performance during the April to June quarter was apparently "bolstered by the launch of the Mi Band 6," which is the company's best fitness tracker yet.

"Xiaomi made a wise move to hasten the release of the Mi Band 6, which is a more compelling device than its predecessor," said Canalys analyst Cynthia Chen. The company also benefited from the launch of basic smartwatches in emerging markets such as India.

Unsurprisingly, Apple continued to lead the global smartwatch market, with a 31.1% share. Apple shipped a total of 7.9 million smartwatches in Q2 2021, registering a growth of 29.4% compared to the same period a year earlier.

Huawei retained the third position, thanks to continued success in the Chinese market. The company shipped 3.7 million wearable bands during the quarter and captured a 9.2% share of the global market.

The global wearable band market is said to have grown by 5.6% YoY during the second quarter, with total shipments reaching 40.9 million units. While sales of basic fitness bands continued to decline, it was offset by the growth in smartwatch shipments globally. Smartwatches now account for 62% of the overall wearable band market. Canalys expects smartwatches to continue to be the "key growth driver for the wearable band category for years to come."

Xiaomi Mi Band 6

$44 at Amazon $57 at Walmart £33 at Amazon UK

The Mi Band 6 is a solid upgrade over the Mi Band 5, offering fantastic battery life and a larger 1.56-inch AMOLED display. Along with extensive activity tracking, the Mi Band 6 also offers stress monitoring and guided breathing exercises.