Little Genius Smartwatch Surpasses Samsung in Global Market Share
A Chinese smartwatch brand, Little Genius, has risen to become the fourth-largest player in the global smartwatch market, surpassing established brands like Samsung, driven by its popularity with children and parents seeking a safe, age-appropriate alternative to smartphones.
Yesterday, a 10-year-old girl in Shanghai exemplified this trend, specifically requesting a Little Genius smartwatch – known locally as Xiaotiancai and internationally as Imoo – while shopping with her parents. “We checked out Huawei and Xiaomi, but my daughter insisted on getting Little Genius,” the mother told the store’s sales staff. According to data from Counterpoint Research, Little Genius captured 7 per cent of the overall smartwatch market in the second quarter of 2025.
However, the brand’s dominance is even more pronounced within the children’s smartwatch segment, where it holds over 48 per cent of the global market share as of the first half of 2025, a significant increase from over 27 per cent in 2021. This growth highlights a shifting dynamic in the wearable technology market, as companies increasingly cater to younger demographics. Senior Analyst at Counterpoint, Bai Shenghao, explained that Little Genius “first meets parents’ core demand for safety – offering real-time location, voice and video calls,” while also “giving children their own social functions, with interfaces that match their tastes.” You can learn more about the broader wearable technology market from Counterpoint Research.
The success of Little Genius demonstrates the growing demand for connected devices designed specifically for children, raising questions about data privacy and responsible technology use. The company’s focus on safety features and child-friendly interfaces has resonated with parents concerned about their children’s well-being in an increasingly digital world, as detailed in this UNICEF guide to technology and children.
Company officials stated they plan to continue expanding their product line and international reach, focusing on maintaining their position as the leading smartwatch brand for children.
One recent Saturday afternoon in Shanghai, a 10-year-old girl – glasses perched on her nose, her pink T-shirt tucked into a purple skirt – led her parents into a Little Genius store. Returning to school after the summer break, she was eager for a new smartwatch and had only one brand in mind.
“We checked out Huawei and Xiaomi, but my daughter insisted on getting Little Genius,” the mother told the sales staff.
Known locally as Xiaotiancai and abroad as Imoo, Little Genius may be unfamiliar to most adult consumers in the global wrist-worn device market, dominated by giants like Apple, Samsung Electronics and Garmin. But in China, the brand has captured a niche market, driven by tech-savvy children and parents looking for an age-appropriate smartphone alternative.
In the second quarter of this year, Little Genius ranked fourth among smartwatch brands worldwide, grabbing 7 per cent of the market – ahead of Samsung, but behind Huawei, Apple and Xiaomi, according to Counterpoint Research.
In the children’s segment, however, Little Genius was unrivalled with more than 48 per cent of the global market share in the first half, up from over 27 per cent in 2021.
“It first meets parents’ core demand for safety – offering real-time location, voice and video calls,” said Bai Shenghao, a senior analyst at Counterpoint. “It also gives children their own social functions, with interfaces that match their tastes.”
