Canalys, a market research company, released a report on the smart personal audio market in Q4 of 2022, which shows that despite a decline in overall true wireless stereo (TWS) shipments, Apple still managed to dominate the industry. The Cupertino firm accounted for 32.8% of the overall TWS market for 2022 as a whole, although it experienced a decrease of 1% compared to shipments in 2021.
The AirPods Pro 2 are reported to have accounted for 63% of all AirPods shipments in Q4 2022, while the standard AirPods 3 showed a slower shipment rate, indicating a “weaker market performance” for the product.
Canalys analyst Cynthia Chen explained that the sub-US$100 price band took up 55% of the market share in Q4, with the US$200-299 price band seeing an increase in shipments driven by Apple’s AirPods Pro 2. Apart from the AirPods 3, smartphone vendors felt the most significant impact as they saw their market shares shrink due to the downgrading of consumption happening on a global level.
The AirPods Pro 2, released in October 2022, come with several features, including spatial audio, noise cancellation, and an adaptive EQ, making them a popular choice among consumers.
The latest report shows that Apple’s investment in its audio products has continued to pay off, with the AirPods Pro 2 performing well in the TWS segment. However, Apple’s shipment numbers include not only AirPods but also all of the different variations of Beats headphones.
The decline in the overall market for smart personal audio devices recorded for Q4 2022 may have been due to the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has forced many people to work and study from home.
Despite this, it seems that the AirPods Pro 2 are still a top choice for those in the market for a new pair of earbuds.
