Garmin Ties Samsung at 15% Smartwatch Market Share as Wearable Shipments Fall 2% — Omdia Q2 2026

Garmin has drawn level with Samsung in global smartwatch market share, according to Omdia{"'"}s Q2 2026 wearable report published this week. Both companies now hold 15% of smartwatch shipments, though they arrived there from opposite directions — Garmin surged from 11% a year ago while Samsung slipped from 17%.

The Full Q2 2026 Picture

• Apple: 46% share (down from 48% YoY) — still the dominant leader
• Garmin: 15% share (up from 11%) — the biggest gainer
• Samsung: 15% share (down from 17%) — lost ground despite Galaxy Watch 9 launch
• Overall wearable shipments: Down 2% year-over-year

Why Garmin Is Gaining

Garmin{"'"}s growth is driven by athletes and outdoor enthusiasts willing to pay premium prices for multi-day battery life and superior GPS accuracy. The Garmin Venu 4 ($540) and upcoming Fenix 9 ($999) target users who prioritize training data over smartphone integration.

The Market Is Splitting

Omdia{"'"}s data reveals a clear polarization: consumers are migrating toward either feature-rich sports watches or screenless trackers like the Fitbit Air ($99) and Garmin Cirqa ($199). Basic and mid-tier smartwatches are losing ground.

What This Means for Buyers

Samsung may recover in Q3 after its Galaxy Watch 9 and Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 sales ramp up. For now, the data validates investing in either premium sports watches or affordable screenless trackers over mid-range smartwatches. Browse all smartwatches.