(Yicai) Sep. 4 -- Chinese tech giant Huawei Technologies overtook Apple in the second quarter to rank as the world's leading smartwatch supplier for the first time, with China becoming the largest market for the high-end wearables, according to a report by Counterpoint Research.

Huawei's smartwatch shipments surged 52 percent in the three months ended June 30 from a year earlier, with its market share up at 21 percent from 15 percent, the report released on Aug. 28 showed. Apple's shipments fell for the seventh straight month, dipping 3 percent to drag its market share down to 17 percent from 19 percent.

But California-based Apple maintains its leading position in the high-end smartwatch market thanks to "the strength of its iOS ecosystem and sustained user loyalty," Counterpoint noted.

“With over three-fourths of its shipments concentrated in China and a majority of its portfolio skewed between USD100 and USD400, Huawei continues to deliver a compelling range of smartwatches that resonate across consumer segments,” said Anshika Jain, a senior research analyst at Counterpoint.

“Huawei has been slowly expanding its presence in other regions like Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and the Asia Pacific, to broaden its user base globally,” she added.

Xiaomi's smartwatch shipments soared 38 percent, ranking the Chinese electronics giant third with a 9 percent market share, followed by Imoo, the world's leading kids smartwatch brand, with a 7 percent share, after its shipments surged 21 percent. South Korea's Samsung Electronics dropped to fifth, with its deliveries falling 3 percent for a 6 percent share.

Global smartwatch shipments jumped 8 percent in the quarter from a year earlier, increasing for the first time since the first quarter of last year, with the Chinese market playing a vital role in the recovery. According to Jain, the world market will likely continue to recover this year and grow 7 percent.

In addition, China became the world's biggest market for high-end smartwatches after surpassing North America for the first time, with shipments soaring 33 percent thanks to the outstanding performance of domestic brands.

“China’s market benefits greatly from affordable options, targeted government subsidies, and deep integration with local app ecosystems that enhance daily utility, from payments to health tracking, making smartwatches indispensable across consumer tiers," said Counterpoint analyst Balbir Singh.

Editor: Martin Kadiev