Smartwatches have become a normal part of daily life for millions of Americans. People use them to check messages, track workouts, monitor sleep, and even keep an eye on their heart health, all from their wrist.

A handful of major brands make most of the smartwatches sold in the United States today. Some of these companies started out making phones or computers, while others began with heart rate monitors, fashion watches, or fitness trackers.

In this article, we’ll discuss the top 10 smartwatch brands in the United States, based on their history, ownership, and the type of watches they are known for.

Quick Comparison

Rank	Brand	Founded	Owner / Founders	US Headquarters	Core Focus
1	Apple	1976	Founded by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak & Ronald Wayne; publicly listed (Nasdaq: AAPL); led by CEO Tim Cook	Cupertino, California	Apple Watch & Health Tracking
2	Samsung	1969 (Samsung Electronics)	Part of Samsung Group; publicly listed; led by CEO Jun Young-hyun	Ridgefield Park, New Jersey	Galaxy Watch & Fitness Tracking
3	Garmin	1989	Founded by Gary Burrell & Min Kao; publicly listed (NYSE: GRMN); led by CEO Cliff Pemble	Olathe, Kansas	GPS Sports & Outdoor Watches
4	Fitbit (a Google company)	2007	Founded by James Park & Eric Friedman; now owned by Google	San Francisco, California	Fitness Trackers & Smartwatches
5	Fossil Group	1984	Founded by Tom Kartsotis; publicly listed (Nasdaq: FOSL); led by CEO Franco Fogliato	Richardson, Texas	Fashion Smartwatches
6	Whoop	2012	Founded by Will Ahmed; privately held, led by CEO Will Ahmed	Boston, Massachusetts	Fitness & Recovery Tracking Bands
7	Amazfit (Zepp Health)	2013 (as Huami)	Founded by Huang Wang; publicly listed; led by CEO Wang Huang	Milpitas, California	Affordable Fitness Smartwatches
8	Polar Electro	1977	Founded by Seppo Säynäjäkangas; privately held, family-run	Bethpage, New York	Heart Rate & Sports Watches
9	Withings	2008	Founded by Eric Carreel, Cedric Hutchings & Fred Potter; privately held	New York, New York	Health-Focused Smartwatches
10	Casio	1946	Founded by Tadao Kashio & brothers; publicly listed; part of Casio Computer Co.	Dover, New Jersey	Rugged & G-Shock Smartwatches

Apple – The Brand Behind the World’s Best-Selling Smartwatch

Image Courtesy: Apple (Official Website)

• Founded: 1976 
• Owner: Founded by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak & Ronald Wayne; publicly listed, led by CEO Tim Cook 
• Headquarters: Cupertino, California

Apple makes the Apple Watch, one of the most popular smartwatches in the world. The company started in 1976 by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne. It first became famous for computers and later launched the Apple Watch in 2015.

Today, Apple Watch helps people check messages, track workouts, monitor sleep, and stay connected. Apple also makes iPhones, iPads, Mac computers, and other technology products. Tim Cook is the company’s CEO.

What Apple does: Makes the Apple Watch along with iPhones, computers, and other tech products.

Services: Smartwatches, health and fitness tracking, mobile payments, and app support through the Apple Watch.

Samsung – A Tech Giant’s Answer to the Apple Watch

Image Courtesy: Samsung (Official Website)

• Founded: 1969 
• Owner: Part of the Samsung Group; publicly listed, led by CEO Jun Young-hyun 
• Headquarters (US): Ridgefield Park, New Jersey

Samsung makes the Galaxy Watch, which is especially popular with Android phone users. The company started in South Korea in 1969 and later became one of the world’s biggest technology companies. It makes phones, TVs, home appliances, and other electronics.

Galaxy Watch helps users track workouts, sleep, heart rate, and other health information. It also supports calls, messages, apps, and other smart features. Jun Young-hyun leads Samsung Electronics as CEO.

What Samsung does: Makes the Galaxy Watch along with phones, TVs, and other electronics.

Services: Smartwatches, fitness tracking, health monitoring, and mobile connectivity features.

Garmin – A GPS Company Built for Outdoor and Sports Fans

Image Courtesy: Garmin (Official Website)

• Founded: 1989 
• Owner: Founded by Gary Burrell & Min Kao; publicly listed, led by CEO Cliff Pemble 
• Headquarters: Olathe, Kansas

Garmin started in 1989 by making GPS devices for boats and airplanes. It was founded by Gary Burrell and Min Kao, who wanted to create better navigation technology. The company later moved into fitness and sports watches.

Today, Garmin is popular with runners, cyclists, hikers, and other outdoor users. Its watches offer GPS, workout tracking, health features, and long battery life. Cliff Pemble is Garmin’s CEO.

What Garmin does: Makes GPS-based sports watches and outdoor tracking devices.

Services: Sports and fitness watches, GPS navigation, outdoor tracking tools, and health monitoring.

Fitbit (a Google Company) – The Brand That Made Fitness Tracking Popular

Image Courtesy: Fitbit (Official Website)

• Founded: 2007 
• Owner: Founded by James Park & Eric Friedman; now owned by Google 
• Headquarters: San Francisco, California

Fitbit started in 2007 with a simple idea: help people track their daily activity. Its founders, James Park and Eric Friedman, made fitness tracking easier for everyday users. Google bought Fitbit in 2021.

Fitbit devices can track steps, workouts, sleep, heart rate, and other health information. The brand focuses mainly on fitness and health tracking. Fitbit products are now part of Google’s wearable and health business.

What Fitbit does: Makes fitness trackers and smartwatches focused on health and activity.

Services: Fitness trackers, smartwatches, sleep tracking, and health app support.

Fossil Group – A Fashion Watch Company Goes Digital

Image Courtesy: Fossil Group (Official Website)

• Founded: 1984 
• Owner: Founded by Tom Kartsotis; publicly listed, led by CEO Franco Fogliato 
• Headquarters: Richardson, Texas

Fossil started in 1984 as a company selling stylish and affordable watches. Founder Tom Kartsotis helped make the brand popular for its fashion-focused designs. Later, Fossil entered the smartwatch market.

Fossil smartwatches combine traditional watch designs with modern features. They can help users track activity, receive notifications, and stay connected. The company also sells regular watches and fashion accessories.

What Fossil Group does: Makes fashion-focused smartwatches alongside traditional watches and accessories.

Services: Hybrid and full smartwatches, traditional watches, and fashion accessories.

Whoop – A Fitness Band Built for Serious Athletes

Image Courtesy: Whoop (Official Website)

• Founded: 2012 
• Owner: Founded by Will Ahmed; privately held, led by CEO Will Ahmed 
• Headquarters: Boston, Massachusetts

Whoop started in 2012 with a focus on helping people understand their bodies and recovery. Founder Will Ahmed created the company to track things like exercise, sleep, and recovery. Unlike most smartwatches, Whoop devices do not have a screen.

Whoop is popular with athletes and people who take fitness seriously. Its band focuses on sleep, recovery, heart rate, and daily activity. The information is shown through the Whoop app.

What Whoop does: Makes screen-free fitness bands focused on recovery and sleep tracking.

Services: Fitness and recovery tracking, sleep monitoring, and health coaching through its app.

Amazfit (Zepp Health) – An Affordable Alternative from China

Image Courtesy: Amazfit (Official Website)

• Founded: 2013 (as Huami) 
• Owner: Founded by Huang Wang; publicly listed, led by CEO Wang Huang 
• Headquarters (US): Milpitas, California

Amazfit began in China in 2013 under the name Huami, originally building fitness trackers for other big tech brands. Founder Huang Wang later renamed the company Zepp Health and launched Amazfit as its own smartwatch brand.

Amazfit built a reputation in the US for offering many smartwatch features at a much lower price than bigger rivals. Wang Huang continues to lead the company today as CEO.

What Amazfit (Zepp Health) does: Makes budget-friendly smartwatches with long battery life.

Services: Fitness smartwatches, health tracking, sleep monitoring, and workout tracking tools.

Polar Electro – The Inventor of the Wireless Heart Rate Monitor

Image Courtesy: Polar Electro (Official Website)

• Founded: 1977 
• Owner: Founded by Seppo Säynäjäkangas; privately held, family-run 
• Headquarters (US): Bethpage, New York

Polar started in Finland in 1977 and became famous for heart rate tracking. Founder Seppo Säynäjäkangas created the first wireless heart rate monitor for sports training. The company later began making GPS watches and other fitness devices.

Today, Polar mainly focuses on athletes and people who want detailed fitness data. Its watches track heart rate, workouts, sleep, and training progress. The brand is still known for its sports and training technology.

What Polar Electro does: Makes heart rate monitors and sports watches for athletes.

Services: Sports and fitness watches, heart rate monitoring, and training and coaching tools.

Withings – A French Brand Focused on Health, Not Just Fitness

Image Courtesy: Withings (Official Website)

• Founded: 2008 
• Owner: Founded by Eric Carreel, Cedric Hutchings & Fred Potter; privately held 
• Headquarters (US): New York, New York

Withings was founded in France in 2008 and initially focused on developing connected health products. Withings first appeared on the market as a technology company that produced connected health devices, such as connected scales. Later, the company started to manufacture smart and hybrid watches.

Watches from Withings are regular watches that are primarily designed to monitor health indicators. Withings watches are multifunctional, lightweight, and resistant. They allow you to monitor your activity, sleep, heart rate, and other health-related data. Apart from the main functions, the company highlights a set of health-oriented features.

What Withings does: Makes hybrid smartwatches and health devices that track the body closely.

Services: Hybrid smartwatches, health monitoring, sleep tracking, and connected health devices.

Casio – A Calculator Company Known for Tough Watches

Image Courtesy: Casio (Official Website)

• Founded: 1946 
• Owner: Founded by Tadao Kashio and his brothers; publicly listed 
• Headquarters (US): Dover, New Jersey

The Casio Company was founded in Japan in 1946 and initially gained popularity for its innovative calculators and electronics. However, the company soon became particularly well-known for its extremely durable G-Shock watches. 

Today, the company produces ruggedized watches with various smart and fitness features and continues to dominate the market of outdoor and casual wear thanks to its unique products.

What Casio does: Makes rugged smartwatches along with calculators and traditional watches.

Services: Rugged and outdoor smartwatches, G-Shock watches, and basic fitness tracking.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Which is the best-selling smartwatch brand in the USA? 

Apple is the best-selling smartwatch brand in the US, thanks to the popularity of the Apple Watch among iPhone users.

Which brands started as something other than a watch company? 

Garmin started with GPS devices, Fossil started with fashion watches, Casio started with calculators, and Fitbit started with simple fitness trackers before any of them made smartwatches.

Which brand is now owned by Google? 

Fitbit is now owned by Google, after the search giant bought the company in 2021.

Which brand is best known for screen-free fitness tracking? 

Whoop is best known for its screen-free fitness band, which focuses on recovery and sleep instead of showing notifications.

Which brand invented the first wireless heart rate monitor? 

Polar Electro invented the world’s first wireless heart rate monitor back in 1977, long before smartwatches existed.

Which brand offers more affordable smartwatches? 

Amazfit, made by Zepp Health, is known for offering many smartwatch features at a lower price than most competitors.

Are smartwatches regulated in the USA? 

Some health features on smartwatches, like heart monitoring tools, are reviewed by the FDA, while the devices themselves must also follow FCC electronics rules.

Which brand focuses mainly on medical-style health tracking? 

Withings focuses heavily on medical-style health tracking, including devices that look like normal watches or scales.

Which brand is known for tough, durable watches? 

Casio is well known for its rugged G-Shock watches, which are now available in smartwatch versions too.

Why do these ten brands matter to everyday people? 

These brands make the smartwatches millions of Americans wear every day to track their health, fitness, and daily activities.

Conclusion

America’s smartwatch market is a meeting point of tech giants, start-ups, and traditional watch manufacturers. On the one hand, you have Apple and Samsung, which have made smartwatches their primary product, and on the other – companies like Garmin, Polar, and Whoop, which focus on fitness and sport. 

Altogether, the top 10 list covers a large variety of products, which are geared toward different audiences. Some make smartwatches the ultimate accessory, while others focus on serious tracking features. In any case, as wearable technology becomes increasingly popular in society, these companies will shape the future of the watch market.