The AirPods are one of Apple’s greatest inventions, perhaps even rivaling the iPod. That might be a controversial opinion because the AirPods are contemporary, whereas the iPod has been discontinued and holds more of a nostalgic factor to it. However, if you think about it, since 2016 when the AirPods first released, you can see AirPods (or the impact of its mainstream success) anywhere you go in the Western world. So, it’s no surprise that the AirPods Pro 2 sales have skyrocketed Apple’s control over the wireless earphone market share.
Find out how AirPods Pro 2 sales helped Apple cement its place in the market, and find out if the product is worth it or not.
AirPods Pro 2 Sales: How Apple Controls 31% of the Wireless Earphone Market Share
The competition in the wireless earphone market is relatively weak, with the Samsung Galaxy Buds the closest competitor. From an anecdotal point of view, the Galaxy Buds are clunky, fall out easily, and have worse sound quality than the AirPods. If you compare the Galaxy Buds Pro and AirPods Pro, the differences are even more substantial.
Canalys, a company that specializes in analyzing consumer technology trends and data, reported that the True Wireless Stereo market (also known as the wireless earphone market) grew by 6% and that smart speakers declined in popularity. Here’s what Canalys had to say in its report:
According to the latest Canalys estimates, the global smart personal audio market suffered its second consecutive decline in Q3 2022, with shipments down 4% to 113.6 million units. TWS remained the only category to show an increase, with 6% growth to 76.9 million units in the quarter.
Apple’s entire catalog of wireless audio products, which includes Beats, now enjoys a comfortable market majority, at 31%, while Samsung and Xiaomi are struggling to find relevance in the market. Here are some key figures regarding AirPods Pro 2 sales:
Shipments went up from 17.8 million units in Q3 2021 to 23.8 million in Q3 2022.
Apple’s growth in the market rose by 34%.
Apple’s market share increased from 24.6% to 30.9%.
Are AirPods Pro 2 Worth It?
Since Apple enjoys solid control over the wireless earphone market share with the AirPods Pro 2 sales figures coming in, you might be wondering if it’s worth purchasing a pair for yourself.
Price
First and foremost, the AirPods Pro 2 is $249 new. Compared to other options on the market, this is relatively reasonable, as you can find some competitors charging more for less. I can attest to the fact that the AirPods line lasts an extremely long time. I still have my own 1st generation AirPods from early 2017 and haven’t needed a replacement pair in all that time. That’s pretty much six years I’ve had my AirPods now. So if you’re willing to spend $249 for a pair of wireless earphones that will last a long time, you can’t go wrong with these.
New AirPods models will certainly come out. Those who purchased the first generation AirPods Pro might have felt a slight feeling of missing out when the AirPods Max came in, but the quality you get with the AirPods Pro 2 pairs is extremely high quality.
Features
There are multiple features on the AirPods Pro 2 that make it worth the price. Firstly, you get active noise cancellation that works brilliantly. That, paired with transparency mode, means you can tailor your listening experience depending on your situation. Even if you have your noise cancellation on, transparency mode allows you to hear through your music when someone speaks to you. The way it works is magical and super effective.
You can use a few gestures to help you with convenience. With a few different gestures, you can play, pause, skip, or adjust the volume without having to touch your phone. Their microphone quality isn’t the best out there, but it is definitely serviceable for all general purposes. As is the case with each improvement and new generation, you get much longer battery life with the AirPods Pro 2, as well.
Aesthetics
A large reason why AirPods Pro 2 sales have surged and the company enjoys a large portion of market share is because the AirPods line looks so much better than the competition. Other wireless earphones are prone to looking bulky, ugly, or inefficient. Apple is the master of design, and the sleek and minimalistic all-white aesthetic of the AirPods looks much better than other options. It can be hard to choose certain consumer tech items due to how polarizing they can look due to branding, aesthetic choices, and build quality. Apple knows how to appeal to the mass market, and they do it well.
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