Among the most famous products of Apple, one may soon get a high-end response from its customers. According to the China Economic Daily, the firm expected to unveil AirPods Pro, with the latest metal design and exceptional sound quality at a press event later this October. The price of the upcoming AirPod is about $260, whereas currently, its price starts at $159. However, the company declined to comment on this news. Ming-Chi Kuo, the analyst of Apple, said earlier this year that two models of famous Bluetooth earbuds expected to hit production by the end of 2019 and launch in the 1st quarter of 2020.
The move of the company would in line with its strategy to launch a premium version of its most famous products, as it’s done with iPads, Macs, and iPhones. However, it’s been years since an Apple gadget won over users the way AirPods have. Even though the design initially mocked, some said they seemed as electronic toothbrushes hanging from ears. A number of copies exist, including a pair that does not even play music and helps as a fashion statement. The firm denied to share the figures, how many AirPods sold till date, while Tim Cook, the CEO formerly called the demand phenomenal.
Founder of Above Avalon, analyst Neil Cybart estimates Apple sold about 59 million pairs of AirPods, 34 million during the past twelve months alone, showing an impressive 85% year-over-year growth. Cybart said that AirPods are exactly hanging out of ears of people; they are almost impossible to miss when worn. Because of the lack of wires, AirPods become more useful for outdoor activities like walking and running, and they bound to see in the ears of people while out and about.
AirPods Owners took measures to Save fallen Earpieces
The owners of AirPods disreputably took some extreme steps to save fallen earpieces or to replace the lost ones. Subway passenger of New York City, Ashley Mayer live-tweeted the rescue of her AirPods from the tracks of the train with the help of a broom and tape. Since then, the MTA warned the travelers not to recover dropped AirPods from the train tracks. Recently, Gene Munster, the analyst of Apple, told the Wall Street Journal that he already gone through ten pairs.
Research director of IDC, Ramon Llamas, said that it seems that a product that ridiculed, now become the must-have device. He added, consider what Apple did to make this possible by eliminating the audio jack from the iPhone. Apple practically forces the hands of people to get the AirPods too. As the quality is outstanding, the reviews are close to 5 out of 5 stars, so it’s difficult to argue against getting them.
The fame of AirPods brings really wireless headphones to the mainstream. In response, they forced manufacturers to improve their own offerings in terms of battery life, sound quality, fit, and in some cases, offering language translation and health & fitness capabilities. Llamas said, it also sparked a market for accessories like case covers. It drove race, but it also motivated market advances. Other companies, such as Samsung, Sony, Philips, Jabra, and Bose, offer similar devices with a reduced form factor at a comparable price. Recently, Amazon unveiled wireless earbuds with built-in Alexa and tech giant Microsoft tested its Surface earbuds with pre-installed voice assistant Cortana, which will release later this year even though analysts believed that Apple has a separate advantage.
Distinct Factors of Apple AirPods comparable to other companies like Amazon and Microsoft
Cybart said that one factor Apple AirPods make it very difficult for other firms to compete, including Microsoft and Amazon, its success in wearable requires ecosystem design & strength and fashion expertise. It’s not sufficient only to sell a pair of wireless headphones; tech companies need to sell a variety of wearable tools targeting different body parts. Making wearable devices that people desire to wear requires empowering designers. He argues, without a full ecosystem, competitors of Apple need to target position segments of the market of wireless headphones.
An analyst at tech advisory ABI Research, Stephanie Tomsett, observed that the growth of sales of devices increased as they become more visible. She said a huge excitement around AirPods based on brand loyalty, with several long-term iPhone users seeing to use the same brand for various other devices. Furthermore, the expected new features on the AirPods Pro will attract more customers who are in search of additional functionality from their favorite brand.
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