Sales of Apple’s AirPods are flat in the U.S. market, although Apple’s much-anticipated release of its AirPods Pro 3 later this year should help Apple increase sales, says a new report from Consumer Intelligence Research Partners (CIRP).
CIRP says approximately 44% of U.S. iPhone owners own Bluetooth earbuds, up from 41% of owners in 2024. 59% of respondents use AirPods, up slightly from the 57% that owned them in 2024. The 2025 numbers mark a return to 2023 numbers. Roughly 26% of all iPhone owners in the U.S. today own AirPods.
The data shows that while Apple is holding on to its share of the Bluetooth earbuds market, it isn’t experiencing any real growth. The AirPods lineup continues to face growing competition from Sony, Samsung, Bose, and other earbuds makers.
The second-generation AirPods Pro was released in September, meaning they have gone without an update for nearly three years. The earbuds feature an H2 chip, improved noise cancellation, and thanks to an update last year, can now act as over-the-counter hearing aids.
Recently, Apple and retailers are showing a willingness to reduce the price of AirPods Pro 2, either to blow out old inventory or for Apple to expand its share of the Bluetooth earbuds market.
Apple is expected to unveil AirPods Pro 3 later this year, perhaps in September alongside the new iPhone and Apple Watch models. The new earbuds are expected to offer improved ANC, enhanced sound, and heart rate monitoring.