Smart Personal Audio Devices Market Grew 11.2 Percent in 2024

According to Canalys' latest estimates, global shipments of smart personal audio devices reached 455 million units in 2024, marking an 11.2% year-on-year growth. All product categories saw shipment increases, with China and emerging markets serving as key growth engines.

“While leading brands have maintained stable market positions, their differentiation strategies are increasingly taking shape,” highlighted Canalys Research Analyst Jack Leathem. In the ecosystem category, players like Apple continue to reinforce their competitive edge through deep hardware-software integration. Apple’s in-house chipset enables seamless cross-device connectivity while integrating spatial audio technology with Apple Music to deliver a high-resolution audio experience. Meanwhile, domestic players like Xiaomi and Huawei are capitalizing on their smart ecosystem strategy, leveraging IoT device synergies to enhance user experiences.

In the established audio segment, Sony, Bose, and Edifier collectively command roughly 25% of the wireless headphone market. They prioritize profitability by targeting high-end consumers with advanced audio codecs, Hi-Res certifications, and strategic streaming partnerships. For example, Edifier’s collaboration with QQ Music to launch a master-level audio quality service effectively caters to the exclusive expectations of discerning music enthusiasts.

“Emerging brands are rapidly gaining traction through precise market positioning,” noted Leathem. Emerging players like Shokz and Cleer Audio have successfully penetrated the sports and health segments with their open-form designs. Meanwhile, Oladance’s breakthrough collaboration with AI Doubao has sparked a surge in translation technology—an approach that has been widely imitated, driving rapid product expansion in overseas markets with strong cross-lingual communication needs. These emerging brands also employ differentiated pricing strategies to align with local consumer purchasing power while swiftly launching innovative, region-specific products.

“AI is redefining the boundaries of smart personal audio functionality, with nearly all manufacturers exploring new applications of AI,” stated Canalys Research Manager Cynthia Chen. “However, several critical challenges remain before these solutions achieve large-scale commercial application.” The effective application of AI must be grounded in a deep analysis of user behavior data, focusing on addressing the core pain points of specific scenarios rather than merely adding features. Canalys forecasts that global shipments of smart audio devices will surpass 500 million units by 2025, reflecting a cautiously optimistic outlook. In the near term, the market is expected to witness active player participation.

Over the long run, manufacturers must develop a comprehensive competitive strategy encompassing technology development (including acoustic components, chips, algorithms, and others), establish ecosystem partnerships aligned with their business models, and target specific application scenarios. Converting AI-driven technological advantages into tangible user benefits will be pivotal in shaping the future market landscape.