Apple Dominated Audio Device Shipments in 2020 With AirPods and Beats

[MacRumors]

Apple shipped an estimated 108.9 million "smart personal audio" devices, which includes the AirPods and Beats headphones in 2020, according to new data shared today by Canalys.

That's up close to 30 percent from the 84 million device shipments in 2019, with Apple holding 25.2 percent market share. Apple dominated the competition, with Samsung, the next closest audio device manufacturer, shipping 38.3 million headphones, including its Harman subsidiaries. Xiaomi, Sony, and others also trailed Apple.

Apple saw strong growth in the fourth quarter of 2020, shipping an estimated 37.3 million wireless earbuds and headphones for 26.5 percent market share. Q4 2020 shipments were up 26.6 percent from the year-ago quarter, with Apple beating all other competitors by a wide margin.

As for "wearable band shipments," Apple was the dominant seller in the fourth quarter of 2020, shipping an estimated 14.5 million Apple Watches for 25 percent market share, marking annual growth of 49.2 percent.

Xiaomi was Apple's next closest competitor during the quarter with 8.7 million devices shipped, followed by Huawei with 6.7 million and Fitbit with 5.5 million.

Though Apple sold the most wearable bands in the fourth quarter of 2020, it was not the dominant 2020 vendor. That title goes to Xiaomi, with 37.7 million units shipped during the year.

Apple shipped an estimated 35.2 million total Apple Watches in 2020, up from 27.3 million in the year-ago quarter. Chinese brand Xiaomi sells a range of highly affordable smart bands that are much more affordable than the Apple Watch, with some priced as low as $30.

All of Canalys' data is estimated data, as Apple does not provide specific data on AirPods, Beats, and Apple Watch sales, instead offering total revenue across a number of products.

Apple's Wearables, Home, and Accessories category, which encompasses the Apple Watch and AirPods, set a new revenue record in the fourth calendar quarter of 2020, hitting $13 billion.

Apple CEO Tim Cook said that all three subgroups of the Wearables, Home, and Accessories category set new records, with Apple's wearable business reaching the size of a Fortune 120 company.

Article Link: Apple Dominated Audio Device Shipments in 2020 With AirPods and Beats

 

[mtneer]

Do we assume that every player in the "Others" category is smaller than the smallest of the listed 5-6 companies? Or is there a competitor hidden in there that is closer to matching the top 5 (Aukey etc.)?

 

[m.x]

This is just insane. They managed to create a very expensive throw-away product and dominate its market in less than 5 years. A rough calculation would be 108,9 million sold pairs of AirPods x $179 = 19,5 billion $, just mind-blowing. And I still remember how everybody was laughing at them first for creating such a "stupid" product which "nobody will buy".

 

[Adysubman]

the difference is Samsung’s shipped figures will include all the millions and millions its includes for early adopters of new phones. Preorder a new s21 ultra get a free pair of galaxy buds. Misleading figures.

 

[jimbobb24]

And Apple will continue to capture the lions share of the profits. Wish I owned more Apple stock.

 

[m.x]

the difference is Samsung’s shipped figures will include all the millions and millions its includes for early adopters of new phones. Preorder a new s21 ultra get a free pair of galaxy buds. Misleading figures.

Which makes the success of Apple even more astonishing. Yes, they had the back to school promotion, but I don't think that had a meaningful impact. Other than that, the prices are $159/199/249/549. It's like the iPhone of headphones.

 

[subi257]

So now are they going to be accused of having a monopoly on earbuds ?


/s

 

[Adam089]

hope they bringing AirPods 3 without in-ear soon

 

[ani4ani]

the difference is Samsung’s shipped figures will include all the millions and millions its includes for early adopters of new phones. Preorder a new s21 ultra get a free pair of galaxy buds. Misleading figures.

No it’s not...the consumer is still paying for the buds; ever noticed as soon as these promotions are over the phones drop in price?

 

[sw1tcher]

Prediction: Apple dominated power adapter shipments for 2021 because Apple doesn't include them with iDevices anymore.

 

[Stevez67]

No it’s not...the consumer is still paying for the buds; ever noticed as soon as these promotions are over the phones drop in price?

What I notice is Samsung phones drop in price shortly after being released.

 

[ani4ani]

What I notice is Samsung phones drop in price shortly after being released.

Dead simple...Apple introduced a phone for a $1000 and every other manufacturer jumps in and fills their boots. Samsung throws in a cheap set of headphones to reap in the early adopters and then the phones drop to their real price (the same price they all were before). Same is happening with headphones...Apple set the price bar and releases others to increase their prices. It’s not a coincidence that Samsung S tablets are so much more expensive these days once Apple launched the iPad Pro.

 

[ApplesAreSweet&Sour]

the difference is Samsung’s shipped figures will include all the millions and millions its includes for early adopters of new phones. Preorder a new s21 ultra get a free pair of galaxy buds. Misleading figures.

Galaxy buds are never market leading and are always artificially marked up to make the latest Samsung Phone+Buds bundle feel like great(er) value.

Flagship buds from Sony, Sennheiser, Apple, Jabra are far better and are much better value than Galaxy buds unless you just want a decent pair of true wireless earbuds and don't care to have market leading features.

 

[iamPro]

Dead simple...Apple introduced a phone for a $1000 and every other manufacturer jumps in and fills their boots. Samsung throws in a cheap set of headphones to reap in the early adopters and then the phones drop to their real price (the same price they all were before). Same is happening with headphones...Apple set the price bar and releases others to increase their prices. It’s not a coincidence that Samsung S tablets are so much more expensive these days once Apple launched the iPad Pro.

I thought the buds were getting decent reviews. Especially so after Samsung acquiring Harman (Harman Kardon, AKG, JBL).

 

[wbeasley]

A pity the original HomePod didnt have Bluetooth... and slightly better pricing and better smarts than Siri.
There's an opportunity they seem to be missing and giving to others. Now it's gone. Why is Siri, which has improved a lot, still playing catchup and so far off the money?

 

[ani4ani]

I thought the buds were getting decent reviews. Especially so after Samsung acquiring Harman (Harman Kardon, AKG, JBL).

They do...but they are cheap (for Samsung to make)

 

[wbeasley]

This is just insane. They managed to create a very expensive throw-away product and dominate its market in less than 5 years. A rough calculation would be 108,9 million sold pairs of AirPods x $179 = 19,5 billion $, just mind-blowing. And I still remember how everybody was laughing at them first for creating such a "stupid" product which "nobody will buy".

Remember when everyone laughed at the iPad too? "no one wants that", "what a stupid name" etc etc.

And the harshest comments came from tech reviewers.
We never mention those bad calls do we?

 

[citysnaps]

This is just insane. They managed to create a very expensive throw-away product and dominate its market in less than 5 years. A rough calculation would be 108,9 million sold pairs of AirPods x $179 = 19,5 billion $, just mind-blowing. And I still remember how everybody was laughing at them first for creating such a "stupid" product which "nobody will buy".

Ditto Apple purchasing Beats for $3 billion.

 

[AFDoc]

Picked up some airpod pro's on the cheap and am very happy with them. I don't wear headphones often but these are much better product than the O airpods.

 

[Mayostudent]

I guess the term “audio device” doesn’t have to signify any kind of quality. McDonalds is pretty popular too in this World.

 

[CarpalMac]

This is just insane. They managed to create a very expensive throw-away product and dominate its market in less than 5 years. A rough calculation would be 108,9 million sold pairs of AirPods x $179 = 19,5 billion $, just mind-blowing. And I still remember how everybody was laughing at them first for creating such a "stupid" product which "nobody will buy".

Well they courageously took away the headphone port making the use of wired headphones a PITA.

 

[HarryWild]

Did not know this at all, that Apple is #1 in these markets!

 

[cardfan]

This is just insane. They managed to create a very expensive throw-away product and dominate its market in less than 5 years. A rough calculation would be 108,9 million sold pairs of AirPods x $179 = 19,5 billion $, just mind-blowing. And I still remember how everybody was laughing at them first for creating such a "stupid" product which "nobody will buy".

Not sure what you're talking about. But go with that storyline if it works for you.

 

[tongxinshe]

Since when holding a tiny 1/4 market share can be called “dominate”? Shouldn’t “dominate” mean that you occupy at least 75%-80% market share? These are products truly “dominate” or “dominated”: iPod, Windows, Android, Google Search.