India’s smartwatch market slows as smart glasses and rings gain ground: IDC Report

India's smartwatch sector, after experiencing remarkable growth over the past two years, is now entering a phase of stabilization. This shift is largely attributed to a saturation in the entry-level market, as highlighted by the latest insights from the International Data Corporation (IDC). In the second quarter of 2025, smartwatch shipments experienced a decline, reflecting a changing consumer landscape. Interestingly, despite the downturn in unit sales, the average selling price (ASP) of smartwatches has seen an increase, climbing 5.1% from $20.6 to $21.7 compared to the previous year. While traditional smartwatches have plateaued, burgeoning categories such as smart glasses and rings are gaining traction. Notably, shipments of smart glasses skyrocketed to 50,000 units in Q2 2025, a significant leap from just 4,000 units within the same timeframe last year, bolstered by new entries from brands like Meta and Lenskart. The ASP for this category reached $134.0, highlighting its premium appeal. Moreover, smart rings have rebounded after a decline earlier in the year, marking a 2.8% increase in year-on-year growth with 75,000 units shipped in Q2. Companies like Ultrahuman, Gabit, and Aabo dominate this segment, collectively holding 65% of the market. In addition, smart wristbands have made a remarkable comeback, with shipments surging by 118.5% year-on-year to 83,000 units, led by Samsung, which commands an impressive 80.6% market share in this segment. The Truly Wireless Stereo (TWS) earwear category continues to thrive, capturing 71.2% of its market, while over-the-ear headphones nearly doubled their shipments, increasing by 97.4% year-on-year to reach 1.5 million units. Overall, boAt remains the leader in the wearables market, improving its share from 26.7% to 28.0% year-on-year. However, IDC reports that the first half of 2025 saw fewer smartwatch launches than anticipated, indicating a potential lull in innovation within this category. Looking ahead, emerging wearable technologies are expected to evolve further. IDC predicts advancements in earwear, driven by artificial intelligence, with features such as personalized voice assistance, adaptive sound tuning, and enhanced noise cancellation. Overall, India's wearable device shipments have seen a decline of 6.3% year-on-year in the first half of 2025, totaling 51.6 million units. Additionally, a quarterly decrease of 9.4% was recorded in Q2, bringing shipments down to 26.7 million units.