Strategy Analytics States that Apple AirPods and TWS Bluetooth Headset Sales are on the Rise
In a pretty recent report published by the Device Technologies team, Strategy Analytics had forecasted sales of Apple AirPods in 2019 to almost 60 million. Following this, sales of the Totally Wireless Bluetooth headset grew a whooping 200% in the same year. Apart from the report, the revenue forecasts from 2001 to 2024 also reveals that Apple will again take home a great share when it comes to the Totally Wireless section and all of these happened as a result of the introduction of the first AirPods.
The Director, Strategy Analytics, Ken Hyers has the following to say, “Apple’s AirPods are the dominant Bluetooth headset in terms of sales volumes and revenues in the TWS segment. Even as other vendors enter the TWS segment, Apple will remain the dominant vendor in the category through the middle of the next decade.” You probably already know what Totally Wireless headsets are. They are basically Bluetooth headsets but without the wire that frequently connects them. Apple AirPods which are an excellent example of these Totally Wireless headsets are currently the best selling headsets since they were introduced in 2016.
Ville- Petteri Ukonaho who is an Associate Director at Strategy Analytics had this to say about Apple. “Apple held a commanding lead in the TWS segment this year. They took over 50% share in the TWS category in 2019, while its next two closest competitors, Samsung and Xiaomi, each held less than 10%. Apple’s lead isn’t surprising since it created the category, but it’s unlikely that any single vendor will replace Apple at the top in terms of volume or revenue in TWS Bluetooth headphones in the foreseeable future.”
Ken Hyers also feels that the market for TWS Bluetooth headphones is wide open and that “Prices for TWS chipsets are in freefall. In the last six months prices for them has halved, opening the door for tens, if not hundreds of new vendors offering inexpensive TWS Bluetooth headphones. With falling prices has come a surge in sales volumes of lower-end versions of TWS Bluetooth headphones. Consumers unable to afford premium TWS Bluetooth headsets from Apple, Bose, Samsung and others now have plenty of less expensive ones to choose from.”
According to what is now popular knowledge, the revenue of TWS Bluetooth headsets grew to over 200 percent with Apple taking about 71 percent of that in the previous year. There are speculations that that wholesale revenues will exceed $100 billion by 2024.
Ukonaho is of the opinion that TWS is becoming a revenue stream for a lot of smartphone vendors and Apple will find its non IPhone revenue soaring due to Beats and AirPods in the future. He also thinks that Apple is currently undisputed when it comes to the wireless Bluetooth headphone segment and even though there’s a lot of room for other brands to carve out portions, Apple will very much remain the leader in this category.
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