A new report from Canalys says Apple remains the leader in the global headphone market, overtaking Samsung and other individual competitors, even as China begins to pose a serious threat.
According to the most recent report from analytics and statistics firm Canalys, the global smart personal audio market saw a significant increase in the third quarter of 2024. Total shipments stood at 126 million units, representing a growth of 15% over one year. There are several clues for and against Applethe best thing is that it stays undisputed market leader ahead of Samsung thanks to AirPods and Beats.
China Poses Biggest Competitive Threat to Smart Personal Audio Market
Canalys indicates that Mainland China is the leader in open format device shipments, capturing 59% of the global share.in addition to covering o ther regions such as North America and Western Europe. Audio solutions in terms of active outdoor lifestyle are the reason why these devices have become more popular in these territories.
Cynthia Chen, research director at Canalys, notes that “the open format device segment was a notable area of growth during the quarter.” They are align with growing health and fitness trendswhich has greatly contributed to the fact that the audio market is experiencing consecutive growth over several quarters since the same period but starting in 2023.
Shipment Growth at Sub-Region and Category Level of Global Smart Personal Audio Market
Los most popular devices are those which are classified in the category of Open Wireless Stereo (OWS) of which Chinese brands such as Shokz and Sanag have managed to be the main suppliers. This could be a serious threat to Apple in the future since Canalys said it could expand rapidly in the international market. Your strategy for short-term success is launch entry-level products attractive to consumers. The subsequent challenge will be to have better quality offerings and innovation that allow them to continue to be competitive.
These brands have sold a total of nearly 71 million units.which represent 56.1% market share. They managed to grow by 15.3% year-on-year. One of the competitors that appears to “focus on technological innovation and differentiation” is JBL with its latest touchscreen charging cases.
Apple consolidates with its AirPods and Beats, even if its growth is declining
Global Smart Personal Audio Product Shipments and Growth in Q3 2024
In recent months, Apple has launched a new generation of AirPods 4 divided into two ranges, an entry-level and an intermediate, although offering active noise cancellation. Additionally, AirPods Pro 2 continue to be updated with new features via firmware even as users wait for a third generation. Following these launches, Apple managed to remain the shipment leader in the smart personal audio market with 21.3 million shipmentswhich leaves a share of almost 17%. It recorded a decrease compared to the same period but last year of 9.2%.
In the case of shipments in the The TWS (True Wireless Stereo) market achieved shipments of nearly 20 million unitsi.e. a share of 21.4% but with a similar drop (9.3%) compared to the same period in 2023.
Worldwide TWS Market Deliveries and Growth Q3 2024
Samsung is very far from Apple and ranks second on both lists. It records a market share of 8.7% and 9% in the global smart personal audio and TWS markets. The brand in last place is Sony with 4.4% market share.
Apple must be aware of the moves Chinese manufacturers are making by 2025a year in which we will most likely see a third generation of AirPods Pro, the upcoming Powerbeats Pro 2, among a few other headset renewals.
Finally, Canalys concludes that in “this crowded market, each supplier must prioritize advances in core technologies like active audio cancellation and spatial audio. “This is something Apple has been able to do with the new generation of AirPods, even if some users are not entirely satisfied. On the other hand, “it’s worth exploring options for striking colors , case of translucent fabrics and collaborations with brands to attract consumers” highlights Canalys as a focal point to attract the attention of consumers and strengthen markets, new and established.
New colors of the Beats Studio Pro x Kim Kardashian
Beats’ options have been attractive to the point of collaborating with entertainment and sports celebrities such as Kim Kardashian and Shohei Ohtani. This line of Apple headphones is one that has proven to be strong in terms of customization of the products themselves. Will Apple manage to maintain the top spot in the smart personal audio market?
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