Back in 2018, we were talking about the demand for wireless neckband earphones and ever since the launch of AirPods by Apple, the industry has slowly but surely moved in that direction as well.
The global market size for true wireless earbuds stood at 130 million units which were sold in 2019, according to Counterpoint data. The United States has been the main driver of the segment, accounting for 35 percent of the global market, while Xiaomi came second in the segment with the Redmi Airdots, followed by Samsung, QCY and JLab.
In India, the segment is flush with so many options available across different price points, enabling buyers of all brackets to consider one.
So which products are popular here in the country, and what has caught buyers’ interest in these devices? We spoke to Raghav Somani, founder, Headphone Zone, which sells audio gear in the country online, to get some answers.
The unique selling point of wireless devices in general has been convenience and with the earbuds, the form factor has been made smaller, offering the same set of features.
This is where Somani explains, “the freedom to move around without having to deal with tangled cables is really attractive, and this is likely to have catapulted the demand for the earbuds we’re seeing now.
Truly Wireless is Here
He says ‘truly wireless’ is no longer a buzzword, and in 2020 it has become a mainstream reality.
“You’re now getting earbuds with hybrid drivers and balanced armatures drivers for those who are focused on the sound. Some others allow for long battery life while there are others that are either sweat-proof for workouts or come with the latest Bluetooth technology.”Raghav Somani, founder, Headphone Zone
It’s exciting to see the market developing at a rapid pace, but who does Somani credit for development of this segment? Surely, it has to be Apple.
AirPods Were Not the First
“The Apple AirPods were the first model to truly bring true wireless to the mainstream, but what a lot of people know do not know is that the first true wireless earbuds the Dash were designed by a now non-existent company called Bragi, which were imperfect albeit a step in the right direction.”Raghav Somani, founder, Headphone Zone
He also emphasised that AirPods were never the best-sounding earbuds. In fact, they just showed everyone the experience of pairing and working wirelessly, something that caught people’s attention.
“Newer models have managed to strike a balance between operability and sound, hence striking a chord with audio and technology aficionados alike.”Raghav Somani, founder, Headphone Zone
Speaking of buyers, who is the targeted user for these devices and what price brackets are in demand from them in the country? Without sharing actual figures, Somani pointed out that devices priced between Rs 5,000 and Rs 15,000 sell the most.
And he’s hopeful the price bracket will come under Rs 10,000 in the coming months.
“An endless stream of companies have rolled out their own true wireless earbuds following Apple’s trail-blaze. Initially skeptic and primitive, four years later the technology has transcended down to the masses.”Raghav Somani, founder, Headphone Zone
What about the use case? It’s likely that people taking public transport like metro or in cabs prefer these. Depending on what they spend, the quality is delivered to them through these devices in measured doses.
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)