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The AirPods Pro
- Apple is doubling production of the AirPods Pro from one million units per month to two million, according to a report from Nikkei Asian Review.
- Apple launched its new AirPods Pro on October 30, which offer active noise-cancellation, water-resistance, and other improvements.
- The report is the latest sign that Apple's AirPods have been a huge hit for the company. It follows a recent report from Bloomberg which said that shipments of AirPods will double in 2019.
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Apple is doubling production of its recently launched AirPods Pro wireless earbuds, according to a new report from Nikkei Asian Review. Monthly orders for the AirPods Pro have doubled from one million to at least two million, the report said.
Apple launched the $250 AirPods Pro on October 30. They come with improved audio, active noise-cancellation, multiple ear tips, and sweat-resistance.
The company is said to have tapped Chinese supplier Luxshare-ICT to ramp up production of AirPods, a move that comes as the United States is locked in a trade war with China that has resulted in the Trump administration imposing tariffs on Chinese imports. AirPods are among the Apple products impacted by the tariffs.
Apple did not immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment.
Still, the report provides further evidence that Apple's AirPods have become a massive success for the company, a much-needed hit that's helping the tech giant offset declining iPhone sales. Revenue from iPhone sales decreased yet again in the fourth quarter of 2019, dropping by 9% year-over-year.
But Apple's wearables and services businesses have proven to be a bright spot for the company as revenue from its most profitable product has been slowing. Apple's wearables, home, and accessories division, the category that includes products like AirPods and the Apple Watch, grew by more than 50% year-over-year to $6.5 billion. Apple accounted for 60% of the market for truly wireless earbuds as of the fourth quarter of 2018, according to Counterpoint Research, outpacing rivals like Samsung, Jabra, and others by a long shot.
Shipments of Apple's AirPods are also expected to double to 60 million units in 2019, according to Bloomberg, fueled by higher than expected demand of the AirPods Pro.
Apple doesn't break out specific sales numbers for AirPods. But Apple CEO Tim Cook did say on the company's fiscal fourth quarter earnings call that AirPods "just keep hitting new highs."
