Apple losing wireless earbuds market share whilst AirPods sales grow
Apple Inc. will likely boost sales of its AirPods range by a 3rd this year, but that won’t stop it from losing its dominant grip on the fast-growing wireless earbuds market.
Topics
Apple
Apple Inc. will likely boost sales of its AirPods range by a 3rd this year, but that won’t stop it from losing its dominant grip on the fast-growing wireless earbuds market.
The AirPods have come to define truth wireless (TWS) earphones category, with Apple accounting for nearly half all sales in 2019 and expected to grow to 82 million units this year, consistent with Counterpoint Research data. cheaper alternatives from Chinese rivals, however, have eroded Apple’s lead and therefore the Silicon Valley company now finds itself with just over a 3rd of the market, at 35%, followed by Xiaomi Corp. with 10% and Samsung Electronics Co. on 6%, consistent with the researchers.
A growing contingent of specialised Chinese brands has emerged on the scene, with models like the $90 Lypertek Tevi offering better fit and sound quality than AirPods at a lower cost and therefore the 1More True Wireless ANC outperforming the $250 AirPods Pro’s noise canceling at $180. Samsung’s newly released Galaxy Buds Live also feature noise canceling along side a reasonably , bean-shaped design and price $170. The South Korean company says it’s shipped 300,000 pairs of the Buds sleep in their first few weeks of availability, though a part of those are bundled with the Galaxy Note 20 flagship phone.
For Android smartphone users, many of the iPhone-related AirPods advantages are lost, resulting in price and have sets being the key purchase drivers.
“The low-to-mid end segment including Chinese brands and U.S. makers like JLab is removing share from the premium market,” said Counterpoint analyst Liz Lee. Competition between Samsung and Apple is probably going to accentuate within the latter half the year, as positive reviews of the Buds Live and increased investment from Samsung are expected to shut the gap between the 2 , she added. “We believe that Samsung can attract more users, especially Android phone users, if it provides a wider selection of TWS devices from mid to high-end with a minimum of two or three variations.”
As Samsung expanded its earphones lineup, it’s projected to quite double its TWS sales this year, growing from 8 million to 17 million, while Apple’s AirPods family is forecast to travel from 61 million to 82 million. Samsung, which took inspiration for the Buds Live design from the Hollywood movie “Her,” will keep expanding its home in line with evolving trends, lead wearables designer Bang Yongseok told Bloomberg News.
Established personal audio brands like Sennheiser, Beyerdynamic and Audio-Technica barely registered within the latest market data, with Counterpoint researchers identifying them as competing within the premium segment and holding 0.3% share or less.
