Apple maintained a strong lead in the true wireless headphones market in 2020, with its popular AirPods making up over a quarter of all shipments, based on a new report.
According to Counterpoint Research, Apple products comprised 29% of true wireless stereo (TWS) shipments in Q3 2020, while its Apple Watch made up 28% of all smartwatch shipments. With respect to the wearables market – divided into five segments, of which earwear and wristwear comprise the majority of devices – Apple consistently outperformed the competition, despite its products typically costing more than rival offerings.
"Apple's powerful iOS ecosystem, typically comprised of consumers with larger disposable incomes, has been the main driver for growth – especially in terms of revenues," said senior Counterpoint analyst Sujeong Lim. "High-end stalwart Samsung has also performed consistently."
That said, budget offerings still showed big potential, with Xiaomi consolidating its number two spot in the rankings with a 13% market share, while half of the top 10 were budget brands with sub-$50 and even sub-$20 offerings.
Counterpoint Research expects the wireless headphones industry to grow 83% to 238 million units this year, thanks in part to the lack of a headphone jack on smartphones and the removal of earbuds from smartphone boxes – trends that Apple inaugurated.
"The trend around removing jacks and earphones from devices and boxes is becoming a big driver for TWS segment growth," said Counterpoint Research senior analyst Liz Lee. "It also helps that mobile media consumption continues to grow, making TWS the next must-have accessory."
Counterpoint believes that the global health crisis has contributed to increased consumer interest in health and fitness, which is likely to help the smartwatch market grow further. "We expect low double-digit growth through the medium term – possibly higher if average selling prices decline quickly," said Lim.
Remember how many MacRumors forum members ridiculed ('https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/apple-debuts-wireless-airpods-with-5-hours-of-music-playback.1992227/') AirPods when they were released? Good times.
It should be fairly obvious, but Apple dominating the market despite being the premium brand speaks volumes (no pun intended). Like the smartphone market, Apple is the one raking in the profit, leaving others to scramble for scraps.
And to think, AirPods were mocked back when they were first introduced. Kind of like that other wearable, Apple Watch.
It should be fairly obvious, but Apple dominating the market despite being the premium brand speaks volumes (no pun intended). Like the smartphone market, Apple is the one raking in the profit, leaving others to scramble for scraps.
And to think, AirPods were mocked back when they were first introduced. Kind of like that other wearable, Apple Watch.
Keep in mind that Apple centric tech blogs have become the domecile of the Apple hater crowd. The overwhelming majority of MacRumor’s comments sections tend negative on every story or report about the company. So it should be no surprise that the disconnect from the real world is so striking.
I wasn't on-board with wireless headphones before, but the 1st-gen AirPods changed my mind.
How easily the AirPods work between devices is the reason why I'd buy them again, it works flawlessly 99/100, and I can forgive that one odd case that maybe needs some intervention. Several friends have bought wireless headphones from Sony, Bose, etc, and they've all said that the audio switching is far less reliable, and the thing they miss the most.
Maybe worth noting, I also have a set of Bang and Olufsen H9i's, and they work really well between devices too.
Sometimes is maybe due to not having it. I was given an Apple Watch SE for Christmas, I didn’t know I needed this... I knew it was ok at the very beginnings but wasn’t too convinced for me, then heard many people state their own experiences then after being given one, well, its great and, as usual, it’s genius how well it integrates with everything else, unlocking your macs, unthetered podcast/music/fitness-tracking/applepay/etc. The UI/UX clearly has some insane thought to make it work in such a tiny screen.
Same with AirPods Pro and then the dreaded AirPods Max, once I got them can’t go back now.
I would like to let you know that we've gathered an intervention on your behalf, and that your family will welcome you back with no questions asked, if you'll please just leave this dodgy Apple group you've joined.
The iPhone is Apple's top-selling product, and it gets an update every year. In 2024, we're expecting the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro lineup, with an arguably more interesting feature set than we got with the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Capture Button All four iPhone 16 models are set to get a whole new button, which will be...
Apple is widely expected to release new iPad Air and OLED iPad Pro models in the next few weeks. According to new rumors coming out of Asia, the company will announce its new iPads on Tuesday, March 26. Chinese leaker Instant Digital on Weibo this morning 日发布%23">claimed that the date will see some sort of announcement from Apple related to new iPads, but stopped short of calling it an...
Apple suppliers will begin production of two new fourth-generation AirPods models in May, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Based on this production timeframe, he expects the headphones to be released in September or October. Gurman expects both fourth-generation AirPods models to feature a new design with better fit, improved sound quality, and an updated charging case with a USB-C...
Resale value trends suggest the iPhone SE 4 may not hold its value as well as Apple's flagship models, according to SellCell. According to the report, Apple's iPhone SE models have historically depreciated much more rapidly than the company's more premium offerings. The third-generation iPhone SE, which launched in March 2022, experienced a significant drop in resale value, losing 42.6%...
iOS 17.4.1 and iPadOS 17.4.1 should be released within the next few days, with a build number of 21E235, according to a source with a proven track record. MacRumors previously reported that Apple was internally testing iOS 17.4.1. As a minor update for the iPhone, it will likely address software bugs and/or security vulnerabilities. It is unclear if the update will include any other changes. ...
Apple's new iPad Pro models with OLED displays will likely begin shipping to customers in April, according to information shared today by Ross Young, CEO of display industry research firm Display Supply Chain Consultants. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman also said the new iPad Pro models might not ship until "deeper" into April in his Power On newsletter on Sunday:I've repeatedly said that new...
MacRumors was first to report that Apple was planning to rebrand "Apple ID" to "Apple Account" across its software platforms and websites like iCloud.com as early as this year, and now Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has corroborated this change. A mockup of the new Apple Account branding In his Power On newsletter today, Gurman said the new "Apple Account" branding will start to be used later this...
Top Rated Comments
And to think, AirPods were mocked back when they were first introduced. Kind of like that other wearable, Apple Watch.
How easily the AirPods work between devices is the reason why I'd buy them again, it works flawlessly 99/100, and I can forgive that one odd case that maybe needs some intervention. Several friends have bought wireless headphones from Sony, Bose, etc, and they've all said that the audio switching is far less reliable, and the thing they miss the most.
Maybe worth noting, I also have a set of Bang and Olufsen H9i's, and they work really well between devices too.
Come home amartinez1660, we love you. ?