As iPhone shipments slowly see a downward trajectory in China, Apple would hope that its other categories, such as AirPods, would offset its losses in the region. Given that its wireless earbuds are generally inexpensive compared to the rest of the lineup, they should be a popular pick amongst buyers. Unfortunately, the same story repeats itself in this category, with the company losing to local brands in the TWS market for Q1 2024.
Apple still makes impressive strides as far as AirPods shipments go; new report reveals that the company secured third place in China for the Q1 2024 quarter
Xiaomi and Huawei captured the first and second spot, respectively, in the Chinese TWS market for Q1 2024, with Canalys reporting that both companies enjoyed massive annual growth compared to the previous quarter a year ago. Coming to how well Apple fared, the research firm states that the Cupertino giant shipped 2 million AirPods units in this period, resulting in a meager 3.1 percent growth compared to Q1 2023. In second place, we have Huawei, which is not only dominating on its home turf with increased smartphone shipments but is also repeating the act with wireless earbuds sales.
The former Chinese giant shipped 2.6 million units, amassing a 55.5 percent increase compared to the same period a year ago. As for Xiaomi, it held the top spot as it shipped 3 million units, garnering an impressive 76.2 percent increase compared to the previous period. One can assume that the reason why Xiaomi and Huawei are dominating China is because their wireless earbud offerings are significantly cheaper compared to Apple’s AirPods. Sure, AirPods offer a seamless pairing process, with some arguing that the audio quality is also top-notch.
However, the pairing process can only be experienced if you have an iPhone or iPad. Even then, it appears that the novelty of this feature has worn off and that users have gotten used to pairing their wireless earbuds to their smartphones or other devices in the traditional way. Overall, China witnessed a total of 19.5 million units shipped in the first quarter, representing a 21.3 percent increase compared to last year.
News Source: Canalys
About the author: Omar Sohail is a reporter and analyst for Wccftech's mobile section, specializing in the technology and business of the mobile industry. His expertise lies in the intricate hardware supply chain, covering developments in semiconductor manufacturing, chip lithography, and camera sensor technology.
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