Global true wireless stereo (TWS) hearables shipments managed to grow 13% quarter-over-quarter and 15% year-over-year in the second quarter of 2022 driven by low-end models in the under-$50 segment, according to the latest data from Counterpoint’s TWS Hearables Market Tracker.
On the other hand, the $100 and above segment contracted noticeably with the decreased buying power due to recession fears, especially in Europe. This was bad news for Apple.
As the Russia-Ukraine war prolonged, demand for new tech devices decreased. Unit sales of major brands, especially Apple and Samsung, decreased compared to the previous quarter due to a weak economic climate and demand for new Pro models, according to Counterpoint Research.
However, Apple is expected to rebound in the last half of 2022. As the upcoming AirPods Pro 2 (which will likely be introduced at tomorrow “Far out” event) remain as the only alternative model for ANC-enabled AirPods, the former could absorb the demand of its past iteration which was released in 2019, according to Counterpoint.
The research group says that, thanks to their low price, entry-level models were not impacted by inflation fears. Emerging markets like India, MEA and Latin America grew quarter-over-quarter driven by low-end models, while China continues to suffer from a weak economic climate and its Zero-Covid policy.
