Chinese smartphone specialist Xiaomi has taken a lead over Apple as the world’s largest manufacturer of wearables, according to new figures from an industry analyst.

A report from the International Data Corporation found that Xiaomi took top position in the third quarter of 2018 following positive sales of its Mi Band 3, a fitness tracker.

Xiaomi’s push into markets such as India, Europe and the Middle East has been attributed to its overtaking of Apple.

The share of the company’s deliveries within its home market has dropped from 80pc to 61pc as its international expansion plans pick up pace.

The company’s success follows a growing interest in wearable devices globally this year, with third quarter shipments reaching 32 million units, up 21pc from the previous year. Xiaomi made its UK debut last month.

The wearables market has become increasingly competitive, with new products from the likes of Fitbit, Huawei and Samsung designed to give consumers access to a greater number of services.