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Apple retains clear smartwatch market lead, but a new contender is rising in a key wearable segment

Marty S.

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Aug 18, 2026

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Perplexity debuts ‘Health’ AI assistant with Fitbit and Apple Health integration

📊 Industry Moves

Apple crushes Q2 smartwatches, but Garmin and Google are winning recovery tracking and fitness bands—if sleep precision and training metrics matter more than ecosystem convenience, you finally have competitive reasons to leave the Watch.

Marty’s Take:

Apple’s lead isn’t the real story: fitness bands and recovery tracking are the fastest growing wearable segment, and neither Apple Watch Series 11 nor Apple Watch Ultra 3 leads there. Garmin Fenix 8 Pro and Google’s Fitbit Charge 6 are pulling share because sleep and recovery data outweigh ecosystem lock-in for serious trainers. If that’s your priority, start your search outside the Watch lineup.

Shop mentioned gear: Google | Garmin | Apple

Source: PhoneArena

Apple Fitness Trackers Garmin Google Recovery Devices Smartwatches

Apple, Fitness Trackers, Garmin, Google, Recovery Devices, Smartwatches

Marty S.

Marty is a contributor at Fitness Tech Trends, focused on helping readers cut through the noise and make informed decisions about fitness technology. He dives deep into product comparisons, analyzes features that actually matter, and breaks down technical specs into practical insights. Whether readers are choosing between heart rate monitors, deciding on recovery tools, or figuring out which smartwatch fits their training style, Marty aims to provide straightforward, no-hype guidance. When he’s not researching the latest gear, he’s probably testing theories about what makes certain products stick while others fade into the gadget graveyard.

Apple retains clear smartwatch market lead, but a new contender is rising in a key wearable segment

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