- Apple is doubling production of the AirPods Pro to at least 2 million a month, according to a report from Nikkei Asian Review.
- Apple launched the AirPods Pro on October 30. They 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 followed a recent Bloomberg report that said AirPods shipments were expected to double in 2019.
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Apple is doubling production of its recently launched AirPods Pro wireless earbuds to at least 2 million a month, according to a new report from Nikkei Asian Review.
Apple launched the $250 AirPods Pro on October 30. They offer improved audio, active noise-cancellation, multiple ear tips, and sweat-resistance.
The company is said to have tapped a Chinese supplier called Luxshare-ICT to ramp up its AirPods Pro production.
The United States has been locked in a trade war with China that has resulted in the Trump administration imposing tariffs on Chinese imports, and AirPods are among the Apple products affected.
Apple did not immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment.
The report is 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 Apple's fiscal fourth quarter, dropping by 9% year-over-year.
But Apple's wearables and services businesses have proved to be a bright spot for the company as revenue from its most profitable product has slowed. Revenue from 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 and Jabra by a long shot.
Shipments of Apple's AirPods are also expected to double to 60 million units in 2019, fueled by higher-than-expected demand for the AirPods Pro, Bloomberg reported last week.
Apple doesn't break out specific sales numbers for AirPods. But Apple CEO Tim Cook did say on the company's fourth-quarter earnings call that AirPods "just keep hitting new highs."
