Apple Maintains Dominance as TWS Earphone Market Shrinks in 2026

Ender Öztürk

September 20, 2026

According to the latest market research data released by Omdia, the global TWS earphone market experienced a slight contraction in the second quarter of 2026. During this period, the industry saw a year-over-year decline of 0.7 percent, bringing total sales volume to 82.1 million units. Despite this broader market downturn, Apple successfully maintained its leading position by increasing its sales volume to 16.8 million units, marking a 1.2 percent growth compared to the same period last year. This performance highlights Apple’s resilience in a challenging retail environment, even ahead of its scheduled product launches later in the year.

Apple continues to command a significant lead over its competitors, capturing a 20.5 percent market share of all global TWS shipments. This figure places the tech giant well ahead of its closest rival, Xiaomi, which holds a 10.4 percent share with 8.6 million units sold. Samsung retains the third position with 6.7 percent, followed by Huawei at 6.2 percent and OPPO at 5 percent. It is worth noting that among the top five manufacturers, only Apple and OPPO managed to achieve positive growth, with the latter seeing an impressive 14.9 percent increase in sales, supported by its OnePlus product line integration.

Market Leaders Face Competitive Challenges

The data covering the April-to-June quarter reflects a period prior to the arrival of new flagship models, such as the AirPods 5, which reached Apple Stores in late September. This timing underscores the brand’s ability to maintain upward momentum even during stagnant market conditions. While most manufacturers struggled to sustain their previous year’s figures, the competitive gap between the top players and the rest of the industry remains substantial, indicating a consolidated market environment where established brands hold firm control over consumer preferences.

Open-Type Earbuds Attract Growing Interest

A notable shift is occurring within the audio hardware industry, where open-type wireless earbuds, frequently categorized as OWS, are gaining rapid traction. While traditional TWS earphone sales dipped by 2 percent during the second quarter, the OWS category expanded by 12 percent, reaching 11.1 million units. These designs, which do not obstruct the ear canal, currently account for 13.5 percent of the total market volume. Although Apple’s current participation in this specific segment is primarily limited to its Beats product lineup, the broader industry transition suggests a change in user habits favoring long-term comfort.

Future Market Projections Remain Positive

Analysts from Omdia expect the influence of open-type designs to grow significantly over the next few years. Following an estimated volume of 43.9 million units for the current year, projections indicate that annual sales for this category could reach 90.5 million units by 2030. This growth path suggests that roughly one in every five TWS devices sold in the future will feature an open-ear design. As consumer demand for ergonomic and non-intrusive audio technology evolves, manufacturers are expected to pivot their research and development efforts toward this emerging segment to secure long-term profitability.

Given the shift toward open-ear designs and the continued dominance of established brands like Apple, we invite you to share your perspective on the future of personal audio. Would you prefer the comfort of open-type earbuds over traditional TWS models, or do you prioritize noise cancellation features? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.