Canalys: Global shipments of personal smart audio devices will reach 455 million units in 2024, an increase of 11.2% year-on-year.

Canalys article states that the latest data shows that the shipment of global personal smart audio devices (including TWS, wireless headphones, and wireless neckband headphones) will reach 455 million units in 2024, an 11.2% year-on-year increase. Shipments of all product categories have increased, with China and emerging markets (Asia Pacific, Latin America, Middle East, and Africa) being the main growth markets. Canalys research analyst Jack Leathem pointed out, "Although the leading brands have consistently maintained their market positions, differentiation strategies between them are gradually taking shape." Ecosystem manufacturers, represented by Apple Inc. (AAPL.US), continue to strengthen their competitive advantage through deep software and hardware integration. Apple Inc.'s self-developed chips enable seamless cross-device connections and combine spatial audio technology with Apple Music, providing a high-resolution audio experience. Meanwhile, Chinese companies like Xiaomi (01810) and Huawei are leveraging their smart ecosystem strategies to enhance user experience through the synergy of IoT devices. On the other hand, professional audio players Sony, Bose, and Edifier Technology collectively account for about 25% of the market share in the wireless headphone market. These manufacturers focus on profitability by targeting high-end consumers with advanced audio codecs, high-resolution certifications, and strategic streaming media partnerships. For example, Edifier Technology collaborated with QQ Music to launch a master-level audio service, catering to music enthusiasts' unique expectations. Leathem noted, "Emerging brands are rapidly gaining market attention through precise market positioning." Emerging companies like Shao Yin and Cleer have successfully entered the sports and health fields with open-ear headphone designs. At the same time, the groundbreaking collaboration between Oladance and AI Beanbag has sparked a wave of translation technology. This collaboration model has been widely imitated, driving rapid expansion of products in overseas markets with strong cross-language communication needs. These emerging brands also adopt differential pricing strategies to cater to local consumers' purchasing power and quickly introduce innovative products tailored to specific regional characteristics. In terms of regions, Greater China leads with a growth rate of 22%, followed by the Asia Pacific region (19%), Europe, Middle East, and Africa (10%), and Latin America (7%). Canalys takes a cautious but optimistic outlook on market growth by 2025, expecting global shipment of personal smart audio devices to reach 500 million units by 2025. In the short term, the market is expected to witness active participation from various manufacturers, showing three major trends: a surge in innovative products with novel functions and designs; an increase in cross-brand collaborations to build broader ecosystems; and a shift from adding single functions to enhancing overall user experience. Looking ahead, manufacturers must develop comprehensive competitive strategies covering technology development (including acoustic components, chips, algorithms, etc.), establish ecosystem partnerships that align with their business models, and develop for specific application scenarios. Transforming AI technology advantages to benefit users will be key to shaping the future market landscape.