Google, Amazon Might Join The Wireless Earbuds Competition Next Year

It is reported that Apple is planning to launch the AirPods’ upgraded version in 2019 with wireless charging support as well as water resistance, built-in health tracking and ‘Hey Siri’ feature. And a brand new design of the AirPods that will be more comfortable to wear, with possible built-in biometric sensors might come in 2020 as they have already filed a new AirPods patent to the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

However, Apple’s new AirPods might face steep competition from Amazon and Google. According to Ming-Chi Kuo, an Apple analyst, both Amazon and Google are in the process of developing their own versions of the AirPods.

Kuo claimed that he received information from sources in the supply chain as he even has names of Google and Amazon’s suppliers for their rumored earbuds.

It was Unitech and GoerTek, a Chinese acoustic components company that will become Google and Amazon’s main suppliers. Kuo stated that both companies will launch their products in the second half of 2019. The shipment for both Google and Amazon when combined will be ranging from 10 million to 20 million units.

The undeniable success of Apple’s AirPods is what motivates Google and Amazon to develop their own products. However, the first company to offer wireless earbuds on the market is not Apple but Bragi.

In the wireless earbuds market, Apple’s product has already faced competition from many competitors, Sony’s WF-SP700N wireless earbuds, Sennheiser’s Momentum True Wireless earbuds, JBL’s Free earbuds, and Nokia’s True Wireless Earbuds are some to be mentioned.

Although there are numerous competitors on the market, Kuo claims that products from Google and Amazon will be Apple’s AirPods primary rivals. He backs up his reason by saying that in the Android system, Google is the most dominant brand while Amazon has the advantage of providing the ‘best voice assistant service’.