Apple to double sales of AirPods in 2018 says top analyst

Apple has a winner with its wireless Bluetooth earbuds, the Apple AirPods. In fact, according to Adobe, the product was a huge seller last week on Cyber Monday. Today, KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the man considered to be the best of all Apple analysts on or off Wall Street, said that he forecasts that the company will sell at least 28 million AirPods next year. That would mean that Apple will, at the least, double its sales of the accessory in 2018. While Apple won't release a specific sales total for the product, it is estimated that Apple will ring up 13 million to 14 million units this year.

Kuo sent out a research note to clients today, claiming that two positive things have happened to Apple as far as the AirPods go. One, Apple has improved production of the product, and two, demand has continued to pick up. Delivery times have dropped to a range of 1 to 3 days which the analyst says is partly due to an improved assembly process and increased manufacturing capacity from the assembler.

Back in May, we told you that the Apple AirPods enjoyed a 98% satisfaction rate from wearers of the device. That even topped the 92% satisfaction rate scored by the original Apple iPhone back in 2007. That figure set a record for a new Apple product. Breaking the numbers down even more, 82% were "very satisfied" with the AirPods, 16% were "satisfied," and the remaining 2% were neither satisfied or dissatisfied.

According to the same survey:

• 93%-satisfied that the AirPods didn't fall out of their ears.
• 95%- happy with the battery life and the comfortable fit.
• 97% were satisfied with the case for the AirPods, which doubles as a charger.
• 97% liked how they can use Bluetooth to pair the AirPods to an iPhone.
• 98% were happy about how fast the AirPods charge up.

These number correspond with a device that is rapidly being purchased by consumers. And if Ming-Chi Kuo is right, as he often is, the AirPods are another big winner for Apple.

source: BGR