Apple's AirPods 2 will help the "audio devices" segment triple its size

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According to Counterpoint Research, wireless "hearable devices" are the next big thing. This segment, which includes Apple's AirPods and Samsung Galaxy Buds, had worldwide sales of around 46 million units last year. But with the help of AirPods 2, it could catapult

Samsung, Google, Bose and LG should all grow

As pointed out Pete Richardson, director of research, "2019 will be the year when audio systems will evolve to become an important market". For the most part, new versions of the big brands will boost sales around the world. However, the changing digital habits of consumers should also stimulate demand.

Samsung, Bose, Huawei and LG currently hold relatively small market shares. But as interest in the segment increases this year and next year, each of them should experience relatively strong growth, which should translate into higher market shares.

The new Google Pixel Buds and other versions of Amazon should also play an important role. After all, they should incorporate the likes of Google Assistant and Alexa, which are becoming more and more popular among consumers.

AirPods 2 Will Bring the Hearable Device Segment to New Levels

As stated in the opening paragraph, Apple is expected to remain, for the foreseeable future, the main driver of growth. According to rumors, the brand is currently preparing a second generation AirPod, which should incorporate a variety of new features and potentially small design changes.

By far, the AirPod 2 should be identical to the originals. But looking closer, a new frosted vitreous coating should be visible. Rumor has it that it will improve grip and reduce slippage, which means the new AirPods should not fall off their ears so easily.

The AirPods 2 should also integrate Siri at any time, which will allow users to activate the wizard with the words "Hey, Siri". This feature was promoted for the first time in September by Apple but has not yet been officially confirmed.

Joining the improved Siri will apparently be a kind of water resistance and potentially some health related features. More specifically, a previous report had suggested that Apple was looking for the possibility of an integrated heart rate monitor. However, this extra is far from guaranteed.

The original Apple AirPods

One feature that seems extremely likely at this point is wireless charge support via a new charging box. Apparently, this feature, which will charge the case and the AirPods simultaneously, will raise the battery level from 0% to 100% in just 15 minutes.

The new wireless accessory is also expected by Apple's Bluetooth W2 connectivity chip. This is currently found in the Apple Watch Series 4 and halves the energy consumption compared to the W1 chip. As a result, improvements in the life of the battery are to be expected.

Of course, Apple's AirPods are primarily designed for music and Apple is expected to make some improvements to the overall sound quality.

Most AirPod buyers do not care about sound quality

Ironically, even if the AirPods are for music, consumers do not buy them because of the sound quality.

Counterpoint Research recently conducted an online survey of more than 200 people on their preferences. In the case of AirPods, 68% of correspondents cited "comfort and fit" as a key reason for their purchase. Then come "ease of use" and "portability", which were mentioned by 56% and 44% of people respectively.

In the end, only 41% of respondents cited "sound quality" to justify the purchase of AirPod. In comparison, this factor was the main factor for Bose products, with an impressive 72%. Noise suppression was also important with Bose headphones, cited by 68% of people.

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