Little Genius, which targets kids, overtakes the Apple Watch to become the top-selling smartwatch brand in China

A Chinese smartwatch brand that targets kids aged from four to 15 has overtaken Apple Watch to become the second top selling brand in China, reports the South China Morning Post (SCMP).

Imoo, widely known in China as “Little Genius”, accounted for 21%  of the country’s smartwatch market in the second quarter, surpassing Apple to rank second, only behind smartphone giant Huawei Technologies, according to a report Counterpoint Research.

SCMP say the Little Genius brand benefited from the high demand in the first full back-to-school quarter after the pandemic lockdown was lifted in China, according to the report, which noted that multiple offline retail stores also contributed to its growth. Also, features such as remote notification to parents of abnormal body temperatures in their children have proven popular amid rising health awareness in the post-COVID  era.

Despite the popularity of Little Genius smartwatches, Apple was one of the only companies to grow its wearables business in China in 2022, with the Apple Watch Ultra helping to create a new segment for professional smartwatches.

Research from Counterpoint shows that Huawei and Apple dominated China’s smartwatch industry in 2022, with a combined share rising to nearly 50%. Apple, OPPO, and Huawei were the only top brands to grow year-over-year at 22%, 105%, and 9%, respectively.