Apple AirPods vs Bose:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, Apple AirPods had more branded searches than Bose among headphone brands in the United Kingdom. Apple AirPods had about 368,000 branded searches, while Bose had 58,600. Apple AirPods made up 55.7% of all headphone brand searches we track, and Bose accounted for 8.9%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about headphone brands, Bose appeared in all three answers and Apple AirPods in two. Bose was mentioned before Apple AirPods in two out of three answers.
Who do people search for more?
Apple AirPods, about 6 searches for every 1 for Bose
Who does AI mention more?
Bose, mentioned in every answer we collected
Who does AI recommend more?
Bose, named ahead of Apple AirPods in 2 of 3 answers
Follow Apple AirPods vs Bose and get free monthly updates on what changed
By continuing you'll get index updates and occasional product news from Brandwave. Unsubscribe any time. Privacy
Top headphone brands in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions, Bose appeared in all three answers. Apple AirPods was mentioned in two out of three: in two of the three ChatGPT answers. Bose was listed before Apple AirPods in two out of three answers.
Most recommended by AI
Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.
Sony1st- Bose2nd
Sennheiser3rd- Apple AirPods4th
JBL5th
Soundcore6th
Beats–
Shokz–
Skullcandy–
Marshall–- +2 more
Mentioned by AI
Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.
- Sony3 of 3Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answers
- Bose3 of 3Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answers
- Apple AirPods2 of 3Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answers
- Sennheiser2 of 3Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answers
- JBL1 of 3Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answers
- Soundcore1 of 3Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answers
- Beats0 of 3Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answers
- Shokz0 of 3Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answers
- Skullcandy0 of 3Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answers
- Marshall0 of 3Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answers
See every answer about headphone brands
3 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Which headphones should I buy in the UK?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best headphone brands?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best wireless earbuds?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“headphones”
Google showed no AI Overview for this search.
Searched Google, AI Overview
“wireless earbuds”
Google showed no AI Overview for this search.
Not named in any answer:
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in United Kingdom on October 26, 2026.
Is Apple AirPods or Bose more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for Apple AirPods and Bose by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all 12 headphone brands we track, month by month, from searches in United Kingdom.
Share of searches by month for Apple AirPods, Bose. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | Apple AirPods | Sony | Bose | Beats | JBL | Shokz | Skullcandy | Marshall | Soundcore | Sennheiser | Bowers & Wilkins | Jabra |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 51.9% | 10.2% | 10.1% | 7% | 8.7% | 3.1% | 3.1% | 2.6% | 0.76% | 1.4% | 0.62% | 0.51% |
| Nov 2025 | 57.7% | 9% | 10.1% | 6.3% | 6.5% | 2.8% | 2.8% | 2.3% | 0.57% | 1% | 0.46% | 0.31% |
| Dec 2025 | 54.1% | 10.4% | 9.9% | 7.3% | 7.4% | 2.7% | 2.7% | 2.7% | 0.8% | 1.2% | 0.53% | 0.35% |
| Jan 2026 | 52.4% | 10.3% | 9.6% | 7% | 7.5% | 3.9% | 3.2% | 2.6% | 0.94% | 1.4% | 0.63% | 0.51% |
| Feb 2026 | 54.1% | 11.1% | 8.6% | 5.9% | 7.4% | 4% | 2.7% | 2.7% | 0.97% | 1.5% | 0.65% | 0.52% |
| Mar 2026 | 52.3% | 10.7% | 8.3% | 7% | 7.5% | 4.7% | 3.1% | 2.6% | 1.1% | 1.4% | 0.63% | 0.5% |
| Apr 2026 | 48.2% | 11.6% | 9.4% | 6.5% | 8.4% | 5.3% | 4.3% | 2.9% | 1.1% | 1.3% | 0.57% | 0.47% |
| May 2026 | 50.8% | 10.4% | 9.9% | 5.6% | 7.6% | 4.6% | 3.7% | 3.1% | 1.7% | 1.4% | 0.74% | 0.5% |
| Jun 2026 | 52.1% | 10.7% | 8.3% | 5.7% | 7.5% | 5.7% | 3.1% | 2.6% | 1.7% | 1.4% | 0.61% | 0.51% |
| Jul 2026 | 53.1% | 10.5% | 8.5% | 5.9% | 7.6% | 3.9% | 3.9% | 2.6% | 1.4% | 1.4% | 0.63% | 0.52% |
| Aug 2026 | 54.6% | 9.1% | 8.7% | 6% | 7.8% | 4% | 4% | 2.2% | 1.2% | 1.2% | 0.65% | 0.44% |
| Sep 2026 | 55.7% | 9.3% | 8.9% | 7.5% | 6.5% | 3.4% | 3.4% | 2.2% | 1.2% | 1% | 0.54% | 0.36% |
How has the Apple AirPods and Bose comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Apple AirPods was ahead of Bose in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Apple AirPods’ share of searches among headphone brands in the United Kingdom moved from 51.9% to 55.7%, and its estimated monthly branded searches held steady at 368K.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Bose’s share of searches among headphone brands in the United Kingdom moved from 10.1% to 8.9%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 71.7K to 58.6K.
How did search popularity change for United Kingdom headphone brands in September 2026?
2 changes
In September 2026, Apple AirPods gained share of searches among headphone brands in the United Kingdom, from 54.6% to 55.7%.
Bose’s share of searches among headphone brands in the United Kingdom has gained ground for 3 months in a row, from 8.3% to 8.9% in September 2026.
How are branded searches counted?
3 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Apple AirPods’ and Bose’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.
Apple AirPods
1 branded search term
- airpods
Bose
2 branded search terms
- bose earbuds
- bose headphones
Other head-to-heads among headphone brands
Put your own brand in this comparison
Brandwave tracks your branded demand next to the rival you actually watch, with your campaigns, spend and outcomes on the same timeline.