The mainstream design of high-end active noise-cancelling true wireless stereo (TWS) headset has been trending toward hybrid driver configurations that have helped drive up the growth of capacitive MEMS speaker market, Digitimes Research has found.
Apple's launch of its latest AirPods products has been a key impetus for the emerging manufacturing trend that has in turn benefited its major acoustic component supplier, Goertek.
With the competition in the TWS market likely to become increasingly keen in 2020, the effectiveness of active noise-cancelling functionality will become a barometer for sales of TWS headsets, and therefore, the sales proportion of high-end TWS headsets that come with a configuration of two MEMS speakers for a single ear are expected to grow significantly in the coming year, said Digitimes Research.
Although piezoelectric speaker providers are also trying to tap TWS market, they will continue to lose out orders to those offering MEMS models in the near term, said Digitimes Research, as capacitive MEMS speakers perform much better than piezoelectric ones in terms of signal-to-noise ratio (NSR) and acoustic overload point (AOP).
Digitimes Research also believes that major MEMS speaker providers such as Goertek and Knowles will continue to strive in the market in 2020.