Canalys, a well-known analysis agency, released the 2020 Q1 Global Smart Audio Equipment (Headphone/Audio) Total Shipment Data Report. Among them, Apple led the market with 18.1 million shipped units and a market share of 41.4%. Thus, the Cupertino-based company surpassed the Samsung, Redmi, QCY, and Huawei put together.
The Canalys report shows that in 2020 Q1 global shipments of smart audio equipment reached 96.2 million units. At the same, time, we can see that the personal smart audio product shipments increased by 19.4% reaching up to 75.9 million units. This strong growth is due to smartphone manufacturers Apple, Samsung, Xiaomi, and others actively turned to the development of true wireless stereo (TWS) headphones. In the first quarter of 2020, TWS accounted for 38% of the market and became the largest category of smart audio equipment.
Also Read: Canalys: Personal Audio Device Will Become The Second Largest Smart Device Category
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Discussing the appeal of devices in this sector, Canalys Senior Analyst Jason Low said: ‘Better sound quality is not the only improvement expected in smart audio devices. With TWS, vendors aim to make it easier for users to consume content, as well as streamline access to smart assistants. Through tightly knitted integration with smart devices, such as smartphones, TWS devices are expected to become smarter, allowing users to work, exercise, learn, relax, and be entertained more effectively.’
Apple AirPod Is The Most Popular TWS Equipment
From the chart, we can understand Apple relies on AirPods and other products to achieve 18.1 million shipments in the 2020 Q1, with a market share of 41.4% and an annual growth rate of 60%. But while Apple’s shipments and market share are more than that of Samsung, Redmi, QCY, and Huawei, its market share is still declining.
Samsung ranked second with 4.5 million units shipped, with a market share of 10.3%, an increase of 30% compared to 2019 Q1. Redmi ranked third with 3.1 million units, with a market share of 7%, and it remained stable. Huawei with shipments of 2 million units ranked fifth and got a market share of 4.5%. It is worth noting that Huawei TWS’s headset shipment growth rate is the fastest, reaching 261%.
And as for the current situation of coronavirus, Low continued to say: ‘The COVID-19 pandemic has provided an unexpected accelerator for the market, driving both the creation and consumption of audio and visual media. This in turn benefits the growth of smart audio devices as users seek new and better ways to consume content.’
