AirPods Max too niche and expensive to boost sales, say suppliers

Taiwan-based Apple suppliers are reportedly not expecting much from its new AirPods Max headphones due to their high price and "relatively small niche market," according to the latest reports.

From Digitimes:

Taiwanese PCB makers are not expecting much from Apple's freshly launched over-ear headphones, the AirPods Max, which they think are meant for a relatively small niche market segment, according to industry sources.

Compeq Manufacturing and Unitech, both of which have been shipping rigid-flex boards for AirPods devices, are said to be PCB suppliers for the new Apple headsets, the sources said. Both firms declined to comment on any specific clients or products.

The report says PCB suppliers in the country "are not expecting a significant boost to their sales from AirPods Max". This is because they are positioned "as a niche segment", and have both a high price and smaller market scale compared to its other AirPods products.

The report notes Canalys figures from last year, pegging earbuds shipments at around 45 million in 2019, more than double that of over-ear headphones. The report also notes how JBL, Bose, and Sony are "firmly in the leader group" in terms of market share, suggesting it could be harder for Apple to break in.

Reaction to the AirPods Max, released on Tuesday, December 8, has been mixed to say the least. Early impressions from unboxers and reviewers seem to be good, and whilst the price and strange-looking Smart Case have drawn ire on Twitter, orders from Apple's website are backed up until March of next year.