Brandwave

How popular isApple AirPods?

In September 2026, people searched for Apple AirPods by name about 83,800 times in New Zealand, a 13.5% increase from the previous year. These searches made up 43.8% of all New Zealand headphone brand searches, placing Apple AirPods first out of ten brands. When we asked both ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about headphone brands, Apple AirPods appeared in two of the five answers and was the fifth most recommended of the ten.

Search and AI answers in September 2026

Apple AirPods is the most searched of 10 competitors and the fifth most recommended in AI answers.

  1. Apple AirPodsShare of searches 43.8%Mentioned in 2 of 5 AI answersPlace in AI recommendations 5th
  2. JBLShare of searches 23.7%Mentioned in 3 of 5 AI answersPlace in AI recommendations 4th
  3. SonyShare of searches 13.4%Mentioned in 5 of 5 AI answersPlace in AI recommendations 1st
  4. BoseShare of searches 7.3%Mentioned in 5 of 5 AI answersPlace in AI recommendations 2nd
  5. SennheiserShare of searches 3.6%Mentioned in 5 of 5 AI answersPlace in AI recommendations 3rd

+5 more

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Top headphone brands in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews

In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, Apple AirPods was mentioned in two out of five: in one of the three ChatGPT answers and in one of the two Google AI Overviews. Apple AirPods is the fifth most recommended of the ten.

Most recommended by AI

Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.

  1. Sony1st
  2. Bose2nd
  3. Sennheiser3rd
  4. JBL4th
  5. Apple AirPods5th
  6. Soundcore6th
  7. Skullcandy7th
  8. Beats–
  9. Jabra–
  10. Marshall–

Mentioned by AI

Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.

  • Sony5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
  • Bose5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
  • Sennheiser5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
  • JBL3 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
  • Soundcore3 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
  • Apple AirPods2 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
  • Skullcandy1 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
  • Beats0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
  • Jabra0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
  • Marshall0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers

See every answer about headphone brands

5 answers

Not named in any answer:

Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in New Zealand on October 19, 2026.

Which headphone brands compete with Apple AirPods?

Apple AirPods against headphone brands in New Zealand, by month

Share of searches by month for Apple AirPods, JBL, Sony, Bose, Sennheiser, Skullcandy, Beats. The figures are in the table below the chart.

View monthly share of searches table
MonthApple AirPodsJBLSonyBoseSennheiserSkullcandyBeatsJabraSoundcoreMarshall
Oct 202544.7%22.2%13.6%8.9%3.5%3%2.2%1.1%0.44%0.38%
Nov 202544.3%23.4%14.1%8.8%3.2%2.7%2%0.8%0.33%0.41%
Dec 202540.1%30.4%12.6%8%3%2.6%1.9%0.67%0.3%0.39%
Jan 202642.7%25.6%14%7.9%3.2%2.8%2%0.99%0.38%0.41%
Feb 202647%22.3%13.4%7.2%3.3%3%2%1%0.42%0.37%
Mar 202646.9%21.1%14%7.5%3.6%3.1%2%0.96%0.47%0.42%
Apr 202643.7%24.8%13.5%7.8%3.6%2.9%2%0.95%0.39%0.42%
May 202645.1%22.7%13.4%8%4.1%3%1.9%0.92%0.43%0.44%
Jun 202645.4%22.1%13.1%8.3%4.6%3%1.7%0.79%0.52%0.45%
Jul 202644.4%23%13.4%8%4.7%3%1.8%0.84%0.42%0.35%
Aug 202645.6%22.5%12.4%8.3%4%3.7%1.9%0.8%0.47%0.36%
Sep 202643.8%23.7%13.4%7.3%3.6%3.6%3%0.7%0.46%0.42%

  1. 1.Apple AirPods

    43.8%

    Held 1st. 83.8K estimated branded searches, -1% vs prior month. Share -1.8 points.

  2. 2.JBL

    23.7%

    Held 2nd. 45.3K estimated branded searches, +8.5% vs prior month. Share +1.2 points.

  3. 3.Sony

    13.4%

    Held 3rd. 25.7K estimated branded searches, +11.4% vs prior month. Share +1 points.

  4. 4.Bose

    7.3%

    Held 4th. 14K estimated branded searches, -9% vs prior month. Share -1 points.

  5. 5.Sennheiser

    3.6%

    Held 5th. 7K estimated branded searches, -6.4% vs prior month. Share -0.4 points.

  6. 6.Skullcandy

    3.6%

    Held 6th. 6.8K estimated branded searches, -0.44% vs prior month. Share -0.1 points.

  7. 7.Beats

    3%

    Held 7th. 5.8K estimated branded searches, +63.5% vs prior month. Share +1.1 points.

  8. 8.Jabra

    0.7%

    Held 8th. 1.3K estimated branded searches, -10.1% vs prior month. Share -0.1 points.

  9. 9.Soundcore

    0.46%

    Held 9th. 880 estimated branded searches, 0% vs prior month. Share 0 points.

  10. 10.Marshall

    0.42%

    Held 10th. 800 estimated branded searches, +21.2% vs prior month. Share +0.1 points.

Compare popularity between Apple AirPods and its closest rivals

Every comparison with Apple AirPods

10 comparisons

How has branded search demand for Apple AirPods changed in New Zealand over the last 12 months?

3 findings
  • Across the 12 months ending September 2026, estimated monthly branded searches for Apple AirPods in New Zealand rose from 73.9K to 83.8K.
  • Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Apple AirPods’ share of searches among headphone brands in New Zealand decreased from 44.7% to 43.8%.
  • Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Apple AirPods’ share of searches among headphone brands in New Zealand peaked at 47% in February 2026 and was lowest at 40.1% in December 2025.

How did search popularity change for New Zealand headphone brands in September 2026?

6 changes

  1. In September 2026, JBL gained share of searches among headphone brands in New Zealand, from 22.5% to 23.7%.

  2. In September 2026, Beats gained share of searches among headphone brands in New Zealand, from 1.9% to 3%.

  3. In September 2026, Sony gained share of searches among headphone brands in New Zealand, from 12.4% to 13.4%.

  4. In September 2026, Apple AirPods lost share of searches among headphone brands in New Zealand, from 45.6% to 43.8%.

  5. In September 2026, Bose lost share of searches among headphone brands in New Zealand, from 8.3% to 7.3%.

  6. Estimated monthly branded searches for Skullcandy in New Zealand rose 39.9% over 12 measured months, from 4.9K to 6.8K in September 2026.

How are Apple AirPods’ branded searches counted?

15 search terms

Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Apple AirPods’ name. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brand is growing, holding steady, or fading.

  • airpods
  • airpods 2
  • airpods 3
  • airpods 3 pro
  • airpods 4
  • airpods earbuds
  • airpods earphones
  • airpods headphones
  • airpods max
  • airpods pro
  • apple airpods
  • apple airpods 4
  • apple airpods max
  • apple airpods pro
  • find mine airpods

How the Brand Demand Index is measured

Do you work for Apple AirPods? To request corrections or removal please contact us via our support page and we will be happy to assist.

Where does Apple AirPods compete?

Apple AirPods is ranked in five competitor sets. Each share is worked out among that set's brands, so it differs from set to set.
Competitor setRankShare of searchesRanking
Headphone brands1st of 1043.8%Shown above
Bluetooth headphones brands1st of 851.4%Show ranking
Bluetooth earbuds brands1st of 654.8%Show ranking
Earphones brands1st of 655.1%Show ranking
Ear buds brands1st of 455.3%Show ranking
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Is Apple AirPods your brand?

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