• About 60% of the current TWS users plan to stick to TWS for their next hearable purchase.
• Battery life, sound clarity and call quality will be the key buying factors for the next TWS purchase.
• The average selling price (ASP) of India’s TWS market is expected to rise in the near term.

London, San Diego, Buenos Aires, New Delhi, Hong Kong, Beijing, Seoul – December 21, 2021

Half of the current TWS users in India plan to buy their next TWS device in a year or less, according to a consumer survey conducted by Counterpoint Research’s Market Lens Service. Further, the ASP of India’s TWS market is expected to rise to the INR 5,000-INR 10,000 price band. About 60% of the current TWS users in India plan to stick to TWS for their next hearable purchase. Battery life, sound clarity and voice quality are the top three factors that will be considered by the respondents for their next TWS purchase.

Due to COVID-19, most parts of India experienced lockdowns or restrictions that led to extended work/study from home. As a result, a big portion of the respondents, irrespective of the type of occupation, ended up spending money on hearable devices, like TWS. The survey numbers indicate that the market will continue to get solid support even after the pandemic.

Commenting on the study’s overview, Research Analyst Arushi Chawla said, “The popularity of TWS is growing swiftly. According to Counterpoint’s India Hearables (TWS) Shipment Tracker, India saw TWS shipment of 7.9 million units in Q3 2021 with the country starting to recover from COVID-19 restrictions. Our latest consumer survey deep-dives to understand the past purchase journey of TWS along with future preferences toward hearables, particularly TWS. This study also reveals insights on the TWS design preference and outlook towards Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) and health and fitness features in a TWS device.”

Source: India TWS Consumer Study, Counterpoint Research

Being the leading TWS brand in India, boAt is also consumers’ most preferred brand for a future TWS purchase. About 60% of the current TWS users prefer boAt for their next TWS purchase. boAt is followed by JBL, Samsung, OnePlus and Apple. boAt’s popularity continues to grow – from 28% of the respondents currently using boAt TWS earbuds to 58% of the respondents preferring it as their next purchase. JBL’s TWS devices also appear to be climbing up the ladder in market share – from less than 10% of respondents using JBL currently to more than 40% preferring it for the next purchase.

Chawla added, “There are a diverse set of players in both TWS and smartphone markets. With fierce competition in maturing segments like smartphones, emerging segments like hearables, especially TWS, open fresh opportunities for new players as well as smartphone brands looking to expand their portfolios and strengthen their ecosystems.”

Discussing future consumer preferences, Senior Analyst Pavel Naiya said, “TWS, despite being a newer technology in India, has a bigger list of market players and hence more options for the consumers. As a result, the market share is spread across many players. However, boAt continues to be the top player. boAt TWS is most preferred for its sound clarity, followed by battery life. Price always plays a key role in finalizing a purchase, especially in a segment that holds a lot of scope to expand and innovate. The INR 5,000 and above price band currently contributes 27% share to the TWS market. But it will have a stronger grip in future as about 40% of the respondents are planning to purchase their next device from the same price band.”

Methodology

The study was conducted in India using an online survey panel of a heterogeneous group of TWS users. A sample of 1,027 respondents was collected using the quota-sampling methodology for better representation of the universe as per the current TWS brand share in the market. We expect the results to have a statistical precision of +/- 4%.

Background

Counterpoint Technology Market Research is a global research firm specializing in products in the TMT (technology, media and telecom) industry. It services major technology and financial firms with a mix of monthly reports, customized projects and detailed analyses of the mobile and technology markets. Its key analysts are seasoned experts in the high-tech industry.

Analyst Contacts

Arushi Chawla

Pavel Naiya

Counterpoint Research