Apple Suppliers Reportedly Expect AirPods Shipments to Surge 50% to 90 Million in 2020

[MacRumors]

AirPods shipments could increase by 50 percent in 2020 on a year-over-year basis, according to sources within Apple's supply chain cited by DigiTimes.

A paywalled preview of the report reads as follows:

AirPods shipments to soar 50% in 2020
Shipments of Apple's AirPods are expected to surge 50% on year to 90 million sets in 2020, according to sources at suppliers engaged in the supply chain.

Apple folds AirPods revenue into its "Wearables, Home, and Accessories" category in its quarterly earnings reports, so keep in mind that these are estimated figures. 90 million shipments of AirPods representing 50 percent growth in 2020 would imply 60 million shipments in 2019, in line with an estimate from research firm Strategy Analytics earlier this year. However, as is common with estimates, some analysts have disputed that figure.

Regardless of exact numbers, it is clear that AirPods have been tremendously popular, with the new AirPods Pro facing lengthy shipping estimates on Apple's online store since being released last October. Apple's wearables category set a new all-time revenue record last quarter, which Apple attributed to the success of the Apple Watch and AirPods.

Apple released the higher-end AirPods Pro in October 2019 with several improvements over regular AirPods, including active noise cancellation, improved sound quality, and water and sweat resistance, along with a new in-ear design. AirPods Pro are priced at $249 in the United States, while regular AirPods with a wireless charging case are $199.

Last week, it was rumored that a new entry-level version of AirPods Pro will enter production by the second quarter of 2020, but no further details have been shared. It has been speculated that the earphones could end up being third-generation regular AirPods with the same design and sound quality as AirPods Pro, but without active noise cancelation.

Article Link: Apple Suppliers Reportedly Expect AirPods Shipments to Surge 50% to 90 Million in 2020

 

[Dave245]

They need to sort out the issues with the AirPods Pro first, I have had to send mine back, get a replacement, get a hold put on my debit card and now sit and wait for them to release that hold.

 

[kaycrystal626]

Wow, that's great news!

 

[chucker23n1]

60 million a year already sounds like a crazy-high number. Any headphones vendor can only dream of that…

 

[bubsdaddy]

They need to sort out the issues with the AirPods Pro first, I have had to send mine back, get a replacement, get a hold put on my debit card and now sit and wait for them to release that hold.

What issues were you having?

Mine fail to connect often. In addition, they are unreliable with my Apple Watch series 4. They connect and then a few seconds later I get no sound even though though the music is still playing.

 

[Dave245]

What issues were you having?

Mine fail to connect often. In addition, they are unreliable with my Apple Watch series 4. They connect and then a few seconds later I get no sound even though though the music is still playing.

Mine would crackle when playing music, also they wouldn’t charge when in the charging case until I took them out and put them back in and even then only one of them would charge a little and then go back down to 0%

That wouldn’t happen every time but it was getting regular. I phoned Apple and eventually they agreed to send me out a replacement, however I had to accept a £265 hold onto my debit card. I have returned the faulty Airpods and i’m waiting for them to release the hold on my card. They said it would take up to 48 hours from the time they receive them. They received them Tuesday, I’m hoping the hold is released soon, otherwise I’m going to have to phone them back up (again). There is a time limit on it, after which the hold on my card becomes an actual charge for the replacement AirPods.

 

[840quadra]

Been a great product for me. Still rocking my original 1st year AirPods, and love the new pro model for flights, and other situations where I don't want to deal with noise.

 

[stevejobs>apple]

Love my pros. The noise cancelling alone is worth the extra $50. The fit is more secure for workouts too which I love.

 

[Shanghaichica]

The only issue I’m having with my AirPods is often the first time I put them in my ears it won’t allow me to activate ANC and says place both AirPods in your ear, even though I already have both in. I have to take them out and put them back in the case and then put them in my ears again before I can activate ANC. That’s my only issue. Otherwise I like them as I did the first and second gen AirPods I had before.

 

[44267547]

I think what really helps with the AirPod Pros, is if you look at the price point, they’re really not that ‘over-priced’ in terms of the competition. For the money, I think they offer some really nice advantages over the regular AirPods, but the biggest thing that makes them so unique, is the customizable ear-tips, otherwise, I think it would probably take away the experience with the Pros if they did not include that.

 

[AppleZilla]

Makes sense. I didn't think they could outdo AirPods, until I got my Pros. Fantastic sound and isolation. Fit perfectly.

 

[hammie14]

Just returned from the Apple store where apple agreed to fully refund my AirPods Pro due to many problems, I purchased them in December 2019.

* Left Earbud was not working regularly just stopped working music / audio would continue in right ear
* Heavy battery drain when on a call (about 1% per min)
* Pods not charging when in case
* Intermittent problem where it was like the phone and AirPods where out of range (when the phone was no more the 6ft from me)
* ANC was intermittent, when it worked it worked okay, but it was like it was adjusting in real time. We have a ceiling fan in our room and at points it was silent no background noise, then suddenly you would hear the fan for about 20 secs then it would go quite again.

AppleCare engineering team spoke to me and they said there fully aware of the problems I was having and I was not the only person who has reported them, then they continued to say, we are working on it but have no time line of a fix, could be a week or a year .

Anyway I been refunded now so I'll wait and see what happens in the near future, will use my 2nd gen ones for the moment and my Beats Studio 3's.

 

[MICHAELSD]

Just returned from the Apple store where apple agreed to fully refund my AirPods Pro due to many problems, I purchased them in December 2019.

* Left Earbud was not working regularly just stopped working music / audio would continue in right ear
* Heavy battery drain when on a call (about 1% per min)
* Pods not charging when in case
* Intermittent problem where it was like the phone and AirPods where out of range (when the phone was no more the 6ft from me)
* ANC was intermittent, when it worked it worked okay, but it was like it was adjusting in real time. We have a ceiling fan in our room and at points it was silent no background noise, then suddenly you would hear the fan for about 20 secs then it would go quite again.

AppleCare engineering team spoke to me and they said there fully aware of the problems I was having and I was not the only person who has reported them, then they continued to say, we are working on it but have no time line of a fix, could be a week or a year .

Anyway I been refunded now so I'll wait and see what happens in the near future, will use my 2nd gen ones for the moment and my Beats Studio 3's.

Why not just try another pair? It doesn’t seem that those are common issues.

 

[Rocko99991]

Have they fixed the ANC yet with a firmware update?

 

[MauiPa]

What issues were you having?

Mine fail to connect often. In addition, they are unreliable with my Apple Watch series 4. They connect and then a few seconds later I get no sound even though though the music is still playing.

I have none of those problems. Connects and stays connected to Apple Watch, Apple TV, Mac and iPhone Even walking around the house, best connectivity yet of any Bluetooth I have used. 1) are your devices up to date? 2) do you have the bad firmware on the AirPods Pro or original 3) are you connecting to downloaded music or streaming (streaming connections can glitch due to interference and interruptions). Any radio interference in area? Doesn’t happen to my AirPods Pro, but used to crap up Samsung and amazon buds

 

[wowotoe]

With coronavirus shutting down factories, stores, shipping, or cities, I don't see how they can still boost up the orders while ppl scrambling to buy toilet papers & water.

 

[Mosey Potter]

Who will buy these or any of Apple's products en masse like we always have once the full economic effects of the virus are revealed? If one is unemployed, as many, many, many people soon will be unless a miracle vaccine shows up almost immediately, one buys food and rent if there's enough money...

 

[axantas]

Who will buy these or any of Apple's products en masse like we always have once the full economic effects of the virus are revealed? If one is unemployed, as many, many, many people soon will be unless a miracle vaccine shows up almost immediately, one buys food and rent if there's enough money...

You know - panic is not really something which is bringing us any further right now. What we need is: "we will manage that" - all together. And - as unnecessary for survival any gadget will be - positive messages like these miraculously brings a little smile on many faces.

We are not facing a plague. It is a serious desease, for many uf us just a flu, and we will handle that. Somehow. Togegher.

Bad news are everywhere now. Let's just have a look at the bright side of life, which is still there - unless we are killing it ourselves. The possible lack of toilet paper from the message just above is not killing us either. There were times where one had to use pieces of old newspapers. They did their job - somehow, but they did...

 

[Mosey Potter]

You know - panic is not really something which is bringing us any further right now. What we need is: "we will manage that" - all together. And - as unnecessary for survival any gadget will be - positive messages like these miraculously brings a little smile one many faces.

We are not facing a plague actually. It is a serious desease, for many uf us just a flu, and we will handle that. Somehow. Togegher.

Bad news are everywhere now. Let's just have a look at the bright side of life, which is still there - unless we are killing it ourselves. The possible lack of toilet paper from the message just above is not killing us either. There were times where one had to use pieces of old newspapers. They did their job - somehow, but they did...

Hey thanks for bringing that topic up. I did not write my original post out of any sense of panic. I am, of course, like everyone else, keeping a close eye on unfolding news events. When considered as a whole, things appear to me to be strongly pointing to a period of widespread job loss and accompanying reduction of government tax revenues. We are in recession. This is what recessions do. And on top of that we have a pandemic virus to deal with. One that, as of right now, very little is known about how to stop it. One can be aware of these things without panicking about them. It isn’t easy but it can be done. Meditation helps - a lot. Cheers, Mosey

 

[hammie14]

Why not just try another pair? It doesn’t seem that those are common issues.

That was my 3rd pair!

 

[bubsdaddy]

I have none of those problems. Connects and stays connected to Apple Watch, Apple TV, Mac and iPhone Even walking around the house, best connectivity yet of any Bluetooth I have used. 1) are your devices up to date? 2) do you have the bad firmware on the AirPods Pro or original 3) are you connecting to downloaded music or streaming (streaming connections can glitch due to interference and interruptions). Any radio interference in area? Doesn’t happen to my AirPods Pro, but used to crap up Samsung and amazon buds

1. All devices are up to date.
2. I have the newest firmware on the Airpods Pro.
3. Downloaded playlist on my watch using Apple Music
4. I don't know about radio interference. If so, it doesn't affect my Bose Soundsports or Mpow Flames.

It happens when i try to use them for running. Also, I just bought a pair of Powerbeats Pros and have the same issue. I thought it might be also connecting and maybe latching on to my iPhone or iPad so I turned those off before I left the house. The only other Apple device it could be is my iMac. Tomorrow, I will shut the iMac down too so the only device left is the Apple Watch.

 

[Dave245]

That was my 3rd pair!

3rd pair I've had my first replacement with the AirPods Pro. Never had any issues with my first gen AirPods.

 

[CarpalMac]

I just wish the sound quality and noise cancelling was better. Compared to my wired QC20's they are quite a long way off the mark and at that price point there simply is no excuse for it.

 

[Internet Enzyme]

They need to sort out the issues with the AirPods Pro first, I have had to send mine back, get a replacement, get a hold put on my debit card and now sit and wait for them to release that hold.

My right AirPod Pro wouldn’t charge so I had them give me a replacement right AirPod. A few weeks later, it started happening again, with the replacement airpod. Then i had them send me a replacement case and now i have no issues. Even when they were charging both airpods, the ! warning would display. Don’t know why these things are so faulty. Maybe they delayed their announcement from the september event to fix these bugs but they still didnt fix them properly

 

[827538]

At an average of around $200 each thats almost $20bn a year just from Airpods, a pretty wild sum of money for something so seemingly simple.

I regularly use my first gen Airpods which have been great. Will probably hold onto them until Apple releases the next generation.