Apple reportedly slashes AirPods production as competition from Samsung, Xiaomi intensifiesl

Apple reportedly slashes AirPods publishes as competition from Samsung, Xiaomi intensifies

Apple has reduced planned production of its AirPods wireless earphones by 25 to 35 million units this year, or in 25 to 30%. The reduction comes as sales damage and competition from Asian rivals intensifies, according to a relate published Wednesday by the Nikkei Asia.

Apple now plans to execute 75 to 85 million AirPods, compared with an rear number of 110 million units, the report says, lively sources briefed with the matter. The forecast reduction suggests inquire for AirPods have been slowing following years of double-digit growth experiences for shipments. 

“Year-over-year growth [of Apple’s hearables] slowed to 22%” this year, research firm IDC said in a March relate.  

“The slowing growth reflects the huge amount of adoption [of AirPods] that the market has seen in novel quarters.”

The report of production cuts comes as Apple reported a stellar set of quarterly earnings that saw year-on-year revenue grow by 54% to $89.6 billion. The company’s laptops and desktops clocked their best sales quarter ever during the transfer fiscal quarter. That amounted to $9.1 billion in sales, higher than the iPad, Apple Watch or AirPods.

Apple launched AirPods in 2016, and has actual dominated the Bluetooth true wireless headphones market. Following the commence of AirPods, Asian rivals including Samsung and Xiaomi have launched contrast wireless earphones, which in the case of Xiaomi at least, are retailing for significantly less than AirPods. Xiaomi’s hearable line has grown 55% actual last year, according to IDC’s March report.

Apple declined to comment on the AirPods publishes cuts.