INDUSTRY INSIGHTS
The US market landscape witnessed a major change after the introduction of true wireless earphones by Bragi in 2015
Changing consumer preferences, growing advancements in headphone features, and increasing scope of wireless headphones have are not confined only to sound quality but also have focused on heightened the sense of identity among users. There is also significant demand for specialized, high-end, better sound quality wireless devices, which are catered by specialized companies such as Apple, Bose, Sony, and Sennheiser.
A significant trend observed worldwide is the introduction of true wireless earphones, which was introduced by Bragi in 2015. With a keen eye on the changing market landscape, vendors such as JBL, Apple, and Harman, a Samsung subsidiary, launched wireless earbuds, which incorporate several smart features in their earphones.
MARKET DYNAMICS
The emergence of IoT is expected to have a profound impact on product designs, development, manufacturing, marketing, sales, and aftersales services
The US durable consumer industry is witnessing the growing penetration of IoT. Several brands are exploring means to use IoT to streamline manufacturing and SPM processes to deliver more personalized customer experience. Globally, vendors are increasing spending on IoT to provide proactive customer services. The emergence of innovative technology in the U.S. earphones and headphones market is having a profound impact on the product design, development, manufacturing, marketing, sales, aftersales. One of the most critical aspects of incorporating IoT into true wireless headphones is enhanced product usage mapping, which can provide insights about prospects and potential of products and services to the consumers.
U.S. EARPHONES AND HEADPHONES MARKET SEGMENTATION
This research report includes a detailed segmentation by
- Technology
- End users
- Features
- Types
- Distribution channel
INSIGHTS BY TECHNOLOGY
Waverly labs is working on speech translation true wireless headphones
Wireless earphones have witnessed tremendous growth and captured more than one-third of the earphones market in the US. Hassle free usage, high-quality sound, enhanced aesthetic appeal, and integration with home entertainment systems are driving the sale of wireless devices.
Wired earphones were leading segment till 2015; however, mobility emerged a major challenge for them. Also, the relatively low aesthetic appeal of wired models is the main reason for their decline in the U.S. earphones and headphones market.
Truly wireless earbuds are the fastest growing segment. True wireless headphones in the coming years will provide real-time solutions for language translations. Waverly labs is currently working on such a model, pilot, which is being positioned as speech translation true wireless devices.
INSIGHTS BY END-USERSVendors are focusing on introducing high-quality wireless headphones that are compatible with advanced Bluetooth technology and smart wearables
Entertainment, sports and fitness, and gaming sectors are the prominent end-users of earbuds. In terms of revenue, the entertainment sector dominates more than one-third of the market. A significant number of consumers are also using sports headphones during fitness and gaming activities. Vendors are focusing on introducing high-quality devices that are compatible with advanced Bluetooth devices. These devices are high in demand among music enthusiasts. The manufacturers are also collaborating with several music artists to launch special edition headphones.
The sports and fitness segment is grabbing vendors’ attention to manufacture new-age wearables such as smartwatches and pendants, mobile applications, and rings, which are continuously used to monitor and track the user’s vital biometrics.
Also, avid gamers are shifting toward wireless gaming headphones to overcome the challenges of audio dropouts, short battery life, unwanted audio artifacts, and sound muddiness in wired devices.
INSIGHTS BY FEATURES
Smart earphones are loaded with advanced features such as gesture recognition, biometric monitoring, and voice controls
Smart headphones connect the smartphone and other smart devices using wire-free technologies such as Bluetooth, NFS, and IR. They have evolved from offering a style quotient to resolving real-time challenges. These devices are loaded with modern, advanced features such as virtual assistants, gesture recognition, biometric monitoring, voice controls, and language translation. The rising adoption of wireless devices is driving the U.S. earphones and headphones market shares, including wired and wireless devices.
INSIGHTS BY TYPES
Recent advancements in headphones technology have increased demand for on-ear earphones
Recent technological advancements in on-ear headphones have increased demand and improved the quality of on-ear devices. The U.S. earphones and headphones market is also witnessing an increase in the number of vendors that have added new on-ear headphone models to their portfolio.
In-ear (wired, wireless, truly wireless), on-ear (wired and wireless), over-ear (wired and wireless) earphones are the major products. The in-ear earbuds segment has the largest market share due to the growing demand for feature-rich truly wireless headphones, and the segment is expected to grow at a CAGR of around 13% during 2018–2024.
INSIGHTS BY DISTRIBUTION CHANNELS
Online stores are expected to emerge as the largest selling platform for headphones during the forecast period
Hypermarkets and supermarkets, multi-branded stores, exclusive shops, and online stores are the major distribution channels. Online stores are expected to be the largest distribution channel due to the growing internet penetration, increasing smartphone users base, and growing online shopping trend. Amazon is one of the leading online retailers in the US market. Exclusive stores are also gaining momentum, and they are likely to drive the sale during the forecast period.
INSIGHTS BY VENDORS
With the regular technological advancements, the market is likely to witness the implementation of IoT in headphones, the availability of real-time language translation features, and the integration of smartphones with hearing aids. Currently, earbuds are not used only as a consumer good, but they are also becoming fashion accessories. The prominent vendors are actively involved in strategic acquisitions and mergers, which are expected to make profitable results during the forecast period.
The U.S. earphones and headphones market research report includes in-depth coverage of the industry analysis with revenue and forecast insights for the following segments:
By Technology
- Wired
- Wireless
- Truly wireless
By End-user
- Entertainment
- Fitness and Gym
- Gaming
By Features
By Product Type
By Distribution
- Hypermarket and Supermarkets
- Multi-branded Stores
- Exclusive Stores
- Online
- Others