The latest data from Canalys (now part of Omdia) shows that the global shipment of personal smart audio devices (including TWS, wireless over-ear headphones, and wireless neckband headphones) reached 455 million units in 2024, with a year-on-year growth of 11.2%. The shipment volume of all product categories has increased, with China and emerging markets (Asia Pacific, Latin America, Middle East, and Africa regions) being the main growth markets.

Canalys research analyst Jack Leathem noted: "Although leading brands have consistently maintained their respective market positions, their differentiated strategies are gradually taking shape." Ecosystem vendors, represented by Apple, continue to strengthen their competitive advantages through deep integration of software and hardware. Apple's self-developed chips enable seamless cross-device connectivity, while combining spatial audio technology with Apple Music to deliver high-resolution audio experiences. Meanwhile, Chinese companies such as Xiaomi and Huawei are leveraging their smart ecosystem strategies to enhance user experience by leveraging the synergies of IoT devices.

Professional audio players, including Sony, Bose, and Edifier, collectively hold about 25% of the wireless over-ear headphone market. These manufacturers, with a focus on profitability, target high-end consumers by offering advanced audio codecs, high-resolution certifications, and strategic streaming partnerships. For example, Edifier’s collaboration with QQ Music to launch a master-level sound quality service precisely caters to the unique expectations of discerning audiophiles in this area.

Leathem noted: "Emerging brands are rapidly gaining market attention through precise market positioning." New entrants like Shokz and Cleer have successfully entered the sports and wellness sectors with their open-ear headphone designs. Meanwhile, Oladance's groundbreaking collaboration with AI Dou Bao has sparked a wave of translation technology. This collaborative model has been widely emulated, driving rapid expansion of products in overseas markets with strong demand for cross-language communication. These emerging brands also adopt differentiated pricing strategies to cater to the purchasing power of local consumers, 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 Research Manager Cynthia Chen stated: "AI is redefining the boundaries of personal intelligent audio device functions, and almost all manufacturers are exploring new uses for AI. However, before these solutions can be widely applied commercially, several key challenges still need to be addressed." Currently, the development of AI in the intelligent audio field mainly focuses on three areas:

• Health Monitoring: Leading brands have integrated AI-based hearing assessment and posture detection technologies into their flagship products, using biosensors and algorithms to encourage users to take a proactive approach to health management.

• Adaptive Audio Technology: Scene recognition technology based on various sensors is advancing the progress of dynamic audio adjustment features (such as intelligent noise reduction and adaptive spatial audio), aiming to enhance user experience in complex acoustic environments.

• Real-time Translation: As these features extend to mid-range products, real-time translation is becoming increasingly popular, prompting manufacturers to further explore the integration of AI with intelligent audio devices.

Health Monitoring: Leading brands have integrated AI-based hearing assessment and posture detection technologies into their flagship products, using biosensors and algorithms to encourage users to take a proactive approach to health management.

Adaptive Audio Technology: Scene recognition technology based on multiple sensors is advancing the progress of dynamic audio adjustment features (such as intelligent noise cancellation and adaptive spatial audio), aiming to improve user experience in complex acoustic environments. 

Real-time Translation: As these features extend to mid-range products, real-time translation is becoming more popular, prompting manufacturers to further explore the integration of AI with smart audio devices. 

For AI to be effectively applied, it must be grounded in deep analysis of user behavior data, while focusing on solving the core pain points in specific scenarios, rather than simply adding features. 

Canalys holds a cautiously optimistic view of market growth for 2025, expecting global shipments of personal smart audio devices to reach 500 million units by 2025. In the short term, the market is expected to see active participation from various vendors, presenting three main trends: 

• Innovative products with novel features and designs will proliferate. 

• Cross-brand collaborations will increase, helping to build a broader ecosystem. 

• The market will shift from adding single functionalities to products towards enhancing overall user experience. 
  
  

Innovative products with novel features and designs will proliferate. 

Cross-brand collaborations will increase, helping to build a broader ecosystem. 

The market will shift from adding single functionalities to products towards enhancing the overall user experience. 

In the long term, manufacturers must develop a comprehensive competitive strategy that covers technological development (including acoustic components, chips, algorithms, etc.), establish ecosystem partnerships that align with their business models, and develop for specific application scenarios. Converting the advantages of AI technology into tangible benefits for users will be key to shaping the future market landscape. 

Personal smart audio devices

Canalys' personal smart audio device analysis service provides comprehensive, timely, and high-quality shipment data tracking for major manufacturers, products, and channel strategy decision-makers, helping clients accurately grasp market size, conduct competitive analysis, and identify growth opportunities.

Canalys' personal smart audio device shipment data is tracked with precise and detailed dimensions, guided by a strict methodology, and segmented across various dimensions such as market, vendor, and channel. In addition, Canalys also releases quarterly forecasts to help clients better understand the future development and ever-changing landscape of the personal smart audio device industry, providing professional data support for global strategy formulation. Canalys' global analyst team offers dedicated analysis communication meetings to clients, assisting decision-makers in gaining a deep understanding of the most critical market trends, and providing third-party analytical insights and actionable recommendations from multiple data analysis perspectives.