TWS earphone shipments in 2021: Counterpoint Research forecasts 33% growth

The True Wireless Stereo (TWS) earphone shipments hit an all-time high in 2020 and is only expected to grow in 2021. According to the latest forecast report by Counterpoint Research, we can expect to see around 310 million TWS earphones shipped this year, which is a 33 percent increase over the 233 million units sold in 2020.

The report suggests that Apple, Xiaomi, and Samsung are expected to retain their position as the three biggest players in the market. Despite a drop in consumer spending due to the ongoing pandemic, worldwide TWS earphones shipments grew by 78 percent in 2020.

TWS earphones were one of the most sought-after tech products last year with affordable and mid-range offerings experiencing the highest growth. The report notes that the phenomenon had “affected high-end brands’ performances and the overall blended ASP (average selling price) of the market.”

However, Apple continued to dominate in 2020, emerging as the top brand for TWS earphones, but its market share steadily declined, falling below one-third of the TWS market. The forecast report suggests that Apple will continue its dominance in the segment through to 2021 but will lose 4 percent of its market share. Additionally, Xiaomi and Samsung are expected to continue with similar numbers to those in 2020.