Apple maintained its website as a global pioneer in the wireless headphone market in the first quarter of 2025, where it achieved 18.2 million shipments and seized a market share of 23.3 %, according to new data from Scale.
The data indicates that Apple, including its BEATS company, continues to take advantage of its ecosystem for tool programs to control the real wireless stereo market (Tws). Although its market share decreased slightly from 24.4 % in the first quarter of 2024, Apple still gets 12 % growth year on annual shipments, which greatly contributed to the recovery of the global market. The total global Tws shipments have risen to 78.3 million units – as an annual increase by 18 %, which is the fastest growth rate for the category since 2021.
According to the leading brands, the leading brands expand vigorously in both geographical access and put the product to capture new customers. The continuous Apple growth is due to its strategic focus on adding health and ecosystem integration. Features such as switching devices, spatial sound continues with a dynamic head tracking, and hands -free Siri in the distinction between Apple products in a crowded and increasing price market. The latest Powerbeats Pro 2 includes heart rate monitoring, while AirPods Pro 2 is now characterized by a series of hearing health functions, including the ability to work as auxiliary tools for medical prescriptions.
While Apple continues to drive existing markets, including North America, with more than 50 % of the market share, growth in emerging areas is driven by aggressive price strategies and localization of competitors. For example, Xiaomi increased by 63 % on an annual basis in shipments, reaching nine million units and exceeding Samsung to become the second largest Tws seller in the world. Samsung, which includes Harman’s branches, such as JBL, has shipped 5.6 million units and got a 7.1 % stake. Huawei and Indian Bark Boat resisted the first five market share by 6.0 % and 4.9 %, respectively.
The broader transformation in the market is far from the basic sound functions of the lifestyle and the value of the ecosystem puts Apple in a favorable position, provided that it continues to expand the benefit of its headphones offers. Canalys attributed renewable growth in the US market in part to the accumulation of inventory before the expected tariff changes, prompting retail partners to store high -order products, including Apple’s.
Canalys also highlighted the growing momentum of the OWS operatives (OWS), a category that includes ear designs and ear design aimed at integrating sound technology with fashion and trying to listen the most ocean. OWS products are currently tracking traditional TWS devices in terms of sound accuracy, but Canalys said that some sellers are working with sound laboratories to narrow the gap. Although the Apple did not enter the OWS chip, the trend towards the lifestyle -directed shape factors can affect the future products of the company.
