AirPods 3 can't come soon enough for Apple, market data shows

Apple has dominated the wireless earbuds market ever since the original version of AirPods was released. But with a third generation in the pipeline, new data suggests that the product can’t come soon enough.

AirPods market share nosedived in Q2 2021

Counterpoint Research claims that the so-called true wireless ‘hearables’ market experienced year-on-year growth of 27% in the second quarter of 2021, thanks in large part to performance in developing regions.

Typically strong sales in the United States and Asia (excluding China) didn’t materialize last quarter. That meant shipments in the US remained flat, while those in Asia only grew 9% compared to Q2 2020.

Apple continued to lead the segment globally with over 20% market share, though that’s down considerably from the 35% share it twelve months earlier. AirPods sales volume is down considerably too, per the data.

Xiaomi was the second biggest brand by volume, thanks to its popularity in the sub-$100 segment, with a market share of almost 10%. Samsung, JBL, and JLab completed the top five with each one of them reporting growth too.

Aside from Apple, the only other notable brands to experience a year-on-year market share drop were Huawei, which finished the quarter in tenth place, and Jabra, which occupied the eighth spot.