Consumers Prefer Over-Ear Headphones, Says Futuresource

Over-ear headphones are the preferred form factor for listening at home, emailed Futuresource Friday. It forecasts over-ear headphones will grow at a 5% compound annual rate, generating $10 billion by 2024. Their average selling price grew from $80 in 2018 to $130, led by advanced features such as active noise canceling (ANC). Apple powered the true wireless earphone market, with 20% of shipments and 42% of value in the first half, Futuresource said. Features of the next AirPods, expected to be announced Tuesday, will likely include ANC and the spatial audio algorithm used in the AirPods Pro, said analyst Luke Pierce.