Wedbush Securities analyst Daniel Ives is forecasting AirPods shipments could hit 115 million in 2021, thanks to continued strong demand for the wireless earbuds throughout 2020, with a total of 90 million units expected to be sold before the year’s end.
In a research note seen by AppleInsider, Ives says Apple could sell 18 million AirPods over the coming month, “with the product on pace yet again to be a clear star of Black Friday and holiday season.”
Ives says he expects at least one new AirPods model early in the year next year, which could be the rumored AirPods Studio over-ear headphones that have been on the cards for years, or potentially new entry-level AirPods and/or an updated version of AirPods Pro, both of which may gain a new design.
The analyst says the firm is tracking continued demand for the iPhone 12, particularly the 6.1-inch iPhone 12 Pro, which is said to be the most popular out of Apple’s four new models.
