Wireless earbuds: You know them from other products, but this brand is threatening Apple's AirPods

Xiaomi is best known to consumers for its smartphones, but the brand is becoming increasingly powerful in the wireless earbuds segment. What could threaten Apple's dominant position?

The analysis firm Canalys has published its report on wireless headphone sales for the first quarter of 2025. It shows that the sector has grown significantly over this period. With 78 million sales, we see growth of 18%, a rate not seen since 2021.

With a 23% market share, Apple remains the clear leader, but its sales are growing less quickly than those of the industry as a whole (+12%). Including Beats' results, the Californian company reaches 18.2 million products sold. This is twice as many as its closest rival, Xiaomi, which sold 9 million units at the start of the year, for an 11.5% market share.

Xiaomi is rising very quickly in the wireless headphone market

But the trends for the two manufacturers are very different. Xiaomi has seen a 63% increase in sales year-on-year and is in very good shape. The brand is “driven by its momentum in emerging economies,” explains Canalys. If it continues on this path for a few more years, it could well catch up with Apple in the long run.

But can Xiaomi be considered a real competitor to Apple and its AirPods? The Chinese firm is notably managing to expand thanks to its entry-level products, while Apple is targeting a more premium market. In this game, it is mainly Samsung that is the outsider. Including sales of Harman products, the South Korean manufacturer has sold 5.6 million wireless headphones, or 7% of the market share. Growth is a little sluggish, at 8%, but the recent acquisition of Sound Units, including the Bowers & Wilkins brand, could help it do better in the coming months, particularly in the highly sought-after high-end segment.

Huawei and boAT complete the Top 5 and are closing in on Samsung thanks to a strong increase in their sales (up 40% and 31% respectively). They are relying in particular on good performances in their domestic markets, China for Huawei, India for boAT.