TWS Headphone Shipments Decline for First Time in Nearly Four Years
Global TWS headphone shipments fell 0.7% in Q2 2026, the first year-over-year decrease since Q2 2023, according to Omdia. Open-wearable stereo (OWS) headphones saw growth.
Global shipments of true wireless (TWS) headphones decreased by 0.7% in the second quarter of 2026, marking the first year-over-year decline since the second quarter of 2023, according to market research firm Omdia. The downturn is attributed primarily to a premature release of upgrade demand in the Chinese market during 2025, leading to a 9.5% drop in TWS headphone shipments in China for Q2 2026.
Shipments also saw reductions in the US and Indian markets, though emerging markets experienced growth. While the overall TWS market contracted, open-wearable stereo (OWS) headphones demonstrated resilience, achieving 12% year-over-year growth. Their market share increased to 13.5% in Q2 2026 from 12.0% in Q2 2025.
The OWS segment is led by ear clip form factors, accounting for 61% of sales, with ear hook models making up the remainder. Particularly strong growth was observed in the entry-level price tiers, with OWS headphones priced under $50 experiencing a 323% surge.
Omdia forecasts that annual OWS headphone shipments will nearly double from 43.9 million units in 2026 to 90.5 million units by 2030. Their share of the total TWS market is expected to grow from 13% to 22% during this period.