For the first time, smartwatch shipments in India experienced a year-over-year decline in 2024, as consumers began to shift away from low-cost, lesser-known brands. However, Apple defied this trend, achieving a remarkable 2.4x growth for the year.

Data from analyst firm Counterpoint reveals that India’s smartwatch shipments plummeted by 30% year-over-year in 2024. Signs of a slowdown in sales emerged last year, as the market became saturated with unknown brands, ultimately affecting established domestic players and hindering innovation.

Despite the broader market decline, Apple Watch shipments witnessed a significant 141% increase last year, reversing a 57% decline in 2023, according to Counterpoint.

According to Counterpoint senior analyst Anshika Jain, the Apple Watch experienced an uptick last year as “some experienced users gradually moved to advanced smartwatches” for better health insights, smartphone integration, and other features not available on cheaper devices.

Jain added, “We expect this growing trend to continue in 2025.”

The growth in Apple Watch shipments is aligned with the iPhone’s expanding market share in the country, as Apple emerged as one of the top-five smartphone vendors in India last year, capturing a roughly 10% share in Q4.

However, the significant growth of Apple Watch ultimately had a limited impact on its overall share of the 35 million smartwatches shipped in India last year, according to IDC. Counterpoint, which does not disclose absolute shipment figures, informed TechCrunch that the Apple Watch comprised roughly 2% of India’s entire smartwatch market in 2024.

The success of the Apple Watch boosted overall premium smartwatch (priced above $230) shipments in India, with 147% growth. The Series 10 was the top model, followed by the Series 9, and cumulatively, the Apple Watch captured 50% of the total premium smartwatch segment in the country, according to Counterpoint.

Samsung and OnePlus were the other top players in the premium segment last year, holding a 4% and 1% market share, respectively.