Apple AirPods Shipments Expected to Double to 60 Million in 2019

Demand for AirPods Pro ‘much higher’ than original estimate
Wearables drive Apple’s growth as smartphone shipments plateau

A pair of wireless AirPods are seen during a media event at Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco, California.Photographer: Josh Edelson/AFP/Getty Images

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By Debby Wu

November 22, 2019 at 2:11 AM UTC

This article is for subscribers only.

Shipments of Apple Inc.’s popular AirPods wireless earphones are expected to double to 60 million units in 2019, according to people familiar with the Cupertino-based company’s production plans. This has been driven in part by “much higher” than expected demand for the pricier AirPods Pro model unveiled in October.

The $249 AirPods Pro -- which offer noise cancellation and water resistance -- have surpassed expectations and demand for them is pushing Apple’s assembly partners against capacity and technical constraints, a person familiar with the matter said. Multiple suppliers are competing for the business of manufacturing the Pro earphones, though some are still building up the technical proficiency. There’s currently a wait time of two to three weeks for the AirPods Pro on Apple’s U.S. website.