TWS hearables specifications have undergone big changes within a short span of time. According to a Counterpoint Research report that compared changes in key specifications in top 200 models in Q2 2021 (released before December 2019 or after January 2020), typically, weight and battery capacity were the key specs, but noise cancellation and smart assistance became key differentiators. As these functions were added, the weight of the earbuds and charging case increased. Increase in battery capacity and improved material also affected the weight.
In the over-$100 segment, the importance of Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) has been increasing. As many as 72% of the models released in this segment after 2020 are equipped with ANC. In the sub-$100 segment, however, ANC adoption has not increased significantly, mainly due to technical and budget issues. With ANC becoming a common feature, we can expect more OEMs to adopt it going forward.
Not only ANC but other functions are also gaining importance. Dedicated apps, in particular, are seeing increased adoption as they provide an immersive entertainment experience. The adoption rate of dedicated apps has increased by almost two times both in the sub-$100 and over-$100 segments. Consumers looking to set their own music preferences and maximize sound quality through own equalizer have dedicated apps as one of their key priorities when purchasing a TWS. Device detection and finding own TWS through an app are some of the other features becoming popular. Adoption of these features was not much in the models released before December 2019, but it increased significantly in the models released after January 2020.
OEMs adopting sensors like wearing detection, optical and gyro seem to recognize TWS products as ‘wearable devices’ than just wireless audio. Especially in emerging industries like healthcare and metaverse, various TWS sensors are expected to become more important as input/output devices. Apple is reportedly studying ways to make Air Pods health devices that could be used to read body temperature, enhance hearing power, and monitor posture. Other OEMs are expected to follow Apple in this pursuit.
Boston, Toronto, London, New Delhi, Beijing, Taipei, Seoul – September 1, 2021
The global market for TWS hearables saw tepid QoQ growth in Q2 2021, as typically strong spring sales waned across the US and Asia ex-China markets, resulting in overall unit sales and value rising by only 1% and 9%, respectively. On a YoY basis, although the market enjoyed 27% growth compared with 2020’s COVID impacted Q2, the rankings saw few new developments, although significant change did arise in terms of market share.
Source: Counterpoint Research Global TWS Hearables Market Tracker, Q2 2021
“Apple lost considerable share in both sales volume and value despite big price drops on the AirPods, but the company is unlikely to be too worried,” says senior analyst Liz Lee, who oversees TWS hearables research at Counterpoint. “I think the 3rd generation AirPods expected next month could be a massive hit. It’s been so long since we’ve seen a new release, and if you factor in some attractive pricing, it’s very possible the AirPods 3 could push overall sales for Apple TWS hearables past 80m for the year.”
Looking at how unit share is evolving Lee notes, ”Samsung grabbed a big portion of the premium segment, while Xiaomi was a standout across sub-$100. Indian player boAt, also made some great gains on the back of domestic market recovery to reach eighth globally, its best showing ever. Overall, the ecosystem is strong, and we’re seeing many niche and long tail players eking out respectable gains.”
“In terms of revenues, significant share gains are being made by really only a handful of familiar names – Samsung, JBL and to a lesser extent Xiaomi. This is partly because of out-performance in China, where there is a strong ecosystem of smaller budget brands,” observes Lee. “Despite this expansion, as well as declines in the US, the sub-$100 and premium markets continue inching towards parity in terms of volume. This trend is likely to be accelerated by Apple in the coming months, and I wouldn’t be surprised if the premium segment pushes past 50% in the second half.”
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.
boAt maintained its lead for the fourth successive quarter in Q2 2021, posting 426% YoY growth. OnePlus and realme captured the second and third spots respectively.
Local brands further strengthened their position in India’s TWS market, contributing more than three-fifths of the total shipment volume.
60% of the shipments were driven by the INR 1,000-INR 2,000 price band.
Boston, Toronto, London, New Delhi, Hong Kong, Beijing, Taipei, Seoul – August 13, 2021
India’s TWS market registered 68% YoY growth during the second quarter of 2021, according to the latest research from Counterpoint’s IoT Service. This growth was driven by new launches in the affordable price segment along with improved features.
Senior Research Analyst Anshika Jain said, “We have seen a phenomenal change in India’s TWS market with the entry of new players and frequent new launches. More than 40 brands have entered this market since 2020. In the next quarter, we will see the entry of more brands (like Nothing Ear, Dizo and Micromax) across price tiers to grab a larger share of this untapped market. Some of the new entrants in Q2 2021 were Lava, Aiwa and TCL. Low-cost offerings have provided the necessary boost to this segment. The share of the INR 1,000-INR 2,000 price band grew to 60% of the overall shipments in Q2 2021 compared to 25% in the same quarter last year.”
Looking at the overall market dynamics, Jain added, “The market’s growth saw some resistance during April due to COVID-19 restrictions, including on e-commerce giants in some parts of the country. However, the other two months of the quarter met the pent-up demand and helped maintain the growth momentum.”
On the domestic manufacturing front, Research Associate Anam Padha said, “Players are looking to make these devices locally to reap the benefits of the government’s PLI (Production-Linked Incentive) scheme. For instance, Mivi launched its first Made-in-India TWS device, called DuoPods A25, during the quarter. Mivi is the second brand after pTron to launch a Made-in-India TWS product. boAt has also decided to shift most of its manufacturing base to India to provide more affordable devices. The latest entrant, Aiwa, is also exploring a similar possibility, which indicates that more brands are likely to follow this path to offer new features at low price points.”
Source: India Hearables (TWS) Shipments by Model Tracker, Q2 2021
In Q2 2021, boAt topped the charts for the fourth quarter in a row with a 37% share of the total TWS shipments. Aggressive marketing, celebrity endorsements and ‘value for money’ offerings like the Airdopes 701, Airdopes 281 Pro and Airdopes 481V2 helped the brand to maintain a dominating position in the Indian TWS market. Pushing the inventory for its popular model Airdopes 131 during Flipkart’s Big Saving Days sale in Q2 was another driver for its growth.
Brands like OnePlus and realme are leveraging their existing smartphone user base to grow their presence in the TWS market. The continuous popularity of the Buds Z has helped OnePlus capture the second spot in the growing market. realme maintained its position in the Top 5 brands because of its affordable launches. The brand focused on offering prominent features like ANC at an affordable price point in its recently launched devices like the Buds Q2 and Buds Air 2.
Noise moved one step up to take the fourth spot in Q2 2021 with 117% YoY growth. It offered a good number of new alternatives to the customers and slightly shifted its product portfolio towards the lower price band of INR 1,000-INR 2,000.
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.
Boston, Toronto, London, Hong Kong, New Delhi, Beijing, Taipei, Seoul – 3 June 2021
The global TWS hearables market managed to sustain its growth trend in Q1 2021 despite the pandemic-triggered economic fall. According to Counterpoint Research’s latest Global Hearables (TWS) Market Report, TWS unit sales grew 44% YoY in Q1 2021. China showed the highest growth YoY while North America continued to occupy the largest share.
Apple continued to dominate, but its share declined due to the intensified competition and the absence of a recent new model launch. Xiaomi, the second-largest brand, also lost its share slightly compared to the previous quarter. Samsung, however, expanded its share QoQ and narrowed the gap with second place.
The share of the over-$100 segment dropped through the last year as more consumers decided to go with the mid-range and budget TWS amid the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the segment’s share slightly recovered in Q4 2020 and reached 46% in Q1 2021. This indicates the market focus is starting to shift to the mid- to high-price segment slowly. Senior Analyst Liz Lee said, “Now is the time for companies to prepare for the change in consumer demand trends as vaccinations are expected to help consumer sentiment improve further in the second half of the year.”
Apple dominated the over-$100 segment with 57% share, followed by Samsung at 17%. In the sub-$100 segment, the total share of the top 10 brands, including Xiaomi, fell due to the diversification of industry participants and intensifying competition. Singling out Samsung as an eye-catching performer in Q1 2021, Lee said, “In highly competitive markets like Asia and Europe, Samsung achieved a double-digit share with good performance of all the models. Samsung successfully introduced the Galaxy Buds Pro, timed to connect with the launch of the Galaxy S21 in January. The company also pushed the sales of earlier models like the Galaxy Buds Live and Plus through aggressive marketing promotions.”
Lee added, “Skullcandy is another notable brand with growth potential across low- to mid-end TWS hearables. The brand is now expanding its market, especially in the sub-$100 segment in the US, through favorable responses for new budget models such as the Dime and Dime XT. The steady sales of earlier models like the Indy ANC and Sesh Evo are also helping.”
Feel free to contact us at press(at)counterpointresearch.comfor questions regarding our latest research and insights, and for press enquiries.
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.
London, Hong Kong, Boston, Toronto, New Delhi, Beijing, Taipei, Seoul – June 2, 2021
boAt maintained its lead in India’s TWS market in Q1 2021, growing 576% YoY. OnePlus stood second and its model Buds Z remained the best-selling model. New launches, declining ASP and improved features were the growth drivers.
India’s TWS market posted 156% YoY growth in Q1 2021, according to the latest research from Counterpoint’s IoT service. After experiencing high growth throughout the year, the segment is now moving towards stable growth. However, with the COVID-19 pandemic worsening in Q2 2021, leading to lockdowns in major states, demand as well as supply will get hit and hamper the market’s growth.
Commenting on the TWS market growth, Research Analyst Shilpi Jain said, “Enhancement in features like sound quality, low latency for better gaming experience, smart touch control for a hassle-free experience, and waterproof and dustproof ratings have helped advance the growth of TWS market in India. Also, the constant trends of multiple new launches and low pricing strategy have accelerated the growth further.”
On the TWS promotions during Q1 2021, Jain added, “Key brands OnePlus and realme got a push by offering discounts on their official websites. Brands like Jabra, Sony and Apple also offered discounts on Amazon to strengthen demand.”
Talking about strategy, Jain said, “After the PLI scheme extension to the wearable and hearable category, brands are planning to scale up their ‘Make in India’ capabilities to leverage the scheme. After pTron, we might see a ‘Made in India’ TWS from boAt in the immediate quarter.”
Local brands have strengthened their position in India’s TWS market. They now hold three positions in the top 5 list of brands in terms of shipments, contributing almost 40% of the total shipments.
Key Takeaways
boAt dominated India’s TWS market for the third consecutive quarter in Q1 2021, growing 576% YoY. It captured three spots in the top 5 models list for shipments in Q1 2021, contributing to almost 50% of the shipments of top 5 models. boAt’s Airdopes 131 model performed well and rose to the second position, with its shipment share increasing to almost 7%. To gain maximum exposure, the brand came up with well-planned marketing campaigns and strategies, like rolling out the TRebel exclusive collection for women and partnering with six teams for IPL 2021.
OnePlus held the second position, mainly due to its Buds Z model, which remained the best-selling model in Q1 2021 with almost 10% share. OnePlus’ ‘The Final Horizon Sale’ gave a major boost to its growth.
realme maintained its third position in Q1 2021 as well with 125% YoY growth. Its Buds Q model also continued to find a spot in the top 5 best-selling models’ list. realme strengthened its demand with the Holi Days Sale, which offered good discounts on its TWS devices.
pTron, which bounced back strongly last quarter, moved one step forward and grabbed the fourth spot by offering multiple new launches, like the Bassbuds Vista, Bassbuds Pro and Bassbuds Jets, at affordable prices (<INR2,000).
Noise, an upstart brand that was one of the earliest brands to enter the TWS segment of hearables, managed to grab the fifth spot by offering the maximum number of new launches among the top 5 brands during the quarter. Celebrity endorsement, strong product portfolio and launching models at introductory pricing resulted in its comeback in the top 5 brands’ list for Q1 2021.
Feel free to contact us at press(at)counterpointresearch.com for further questions regarding our latest research and insights, or for press enquiries.
Background:
Counterpoint Technology Market Research is a global research firm specializing in Technology products in the TMT industry. It services major technology firms and financial firms with a mix of monthly reports, customized projects and detailed analysis of the mobile and technology markets. Its key analysts are experts in the industry with an average tenure of 13 years in the high-tech industry
The COVID-19 pandemic has forced consumers around the globe to change their habits, myself included. With lockdowns in place at various points in time, and travel restricted, many people have found themselves hungry for new sources of entertainment and communication. Technology has helped to fill these voids.
One device that helped me adapt to this change was True Wireless Stereo (TWS) earbuds. As I spend more time at home and communicating through online meetings with friends, family and coworkers, having reliable and high-quality audio equipment has been vital. TWS earbuds are key for both work and pleasure.
Recently, I tested two of JLab’s TWS products, the Epic Air ANC True Wireless and the Epic Air Sport ANC True Wireless.
One of the first things I noticed about the JLab Epic Air ANC True Wireless was how comfortable they were. While testing these devices, I wore them most of my workday, which would have been miserable with a poor-fitting product. Instead, I hardly noticed that I had them on. JLab has provided six different sizes of tips to give the earbuds a perfect fit.
Impressive Battery Performance a Major Highlight
A major perk of both devices is their impressive battery lives – I was able to use both devices for the entirety of my workday (eight hours) without a charge. Adding in the battery life of the charging cases, both the Epic Air ANC True Wireless and Epic Air Sport ANC True Wireless can provide over 30 hours of playback before recharging the case, with the sport edition lasting up to 70 hours. This playback time is enabled by a 90mAh battery in each earbud and a 700mAh battery in the charging case for the Epic Air ANC True Wireless and a 120mAh battery in each earbud and a 1,000mAh battery in the charging case for the Epic Air Sport ANC True Wireless. The battery lives of these devices outperform most of their competitors, including Apple AirPods and Galaxy Buds.
However, this impressive battery life comes with a downside. The large batteries take up a lot of space and are heavy, making the earbuds larger than AirPods and Galaxy Buds, and their cases bulky and a bit oddly shaped. This makes them awkward to fit in your pocket. If you are carrying a backpack or a purse, this may not be an issue. But I enjoy bringing my earbuds with me when shopping or going for a walk around the neighborhood, occasions where I would not normally bring a bag with me.
Touch Controls and Noise Cancellation: Imperfect But Helpful Features
Both devices feature touch controls that allow users to change volume, skip tracks, adjust EQ settings, and activate noise-cancelling by just tapping the JLab logo on each earbud. With so many options, the controls can be a bit confusing at first but become familiar with repetition. Commands that require multiple touches occasionally misfired but for the most part were responsive. The touch controls can also be customized through JLab’s Air ANC App, which while difficult to use can be quite helpful.
Another major feature of the devices is their noise control modes – “noise cancelling”, “be aware” and noise control off. The noise-cancelling mode is marketed as removing the uncomfortable “vacuum” sensation that some users experience when using the same mode on other devices. I never got such a sensation while using the devices. However, the noise-cancelling was a bit underwhelming. While they were effective at blocking out noise on hikes and at outside cafés, the noise-cancelling did not hold up as well at busy grocery stores, where a good amount of ambient noise made its way through. The “be aware” mode captures ambient noise around the users and helps them remain aware of their environment. I found this mode useful when checking out at the store or a café, allowing me to keep my earbuds in and my music playing while talking to cashiers or wait-staff. Overall, the noise control modes were useful but a bit less impressive than I expected based on the product description. They were still a major bonus for a sub-$100 device, though.
Good Sound Quality For The Price
In terms of sound quality, I was pleased with both products’ performances. They come with three initial EQ settings – balanced, bass boost, and JLab Signature. While the bass boost was a bit too bass heavy for my taste and the balanced setting a bit lifeless, the JLab Signature setting delivered the best experience. The driving bass notes on “Fantasy” by The XX were full and compelling while the rich texture of swirling strings, piano arpeggios and ornamental chimes on Radiohead’s “Daydreaming” came through distinctly but well balanced. EQ settings can also be personalized on JLab’s Air ANC app. While the sound quality was good, the microphone quality was less so. When using the earbuds on calls, friends often noted that my voice sounded less clear and more distorted, though I was never unintelligible.
Conclusion: Diverse Features, Decent Performance, Low Price
Overall, the JLab Epic Air ANC and Epic Air Sport ANC offer good value for money. The earbuds have amazing battery performance, good sound quality, and useful customization tools that help balance out the slightly disappointing noise-cancelling and the unintuitive app. Together, these devices pack an impressive array of features and performance for under $100, making them a solid choice for consumers.
Also Read: Strategic Reviews and Insights on Latest TWS
The global TWS market grew 78% YoY in 2020 despite the pandemic-triggered downturn.
Apple continued to dominate in 2020 but its share declined steadily.
The pent-up demand for high-end TWS is not expected to explode until late Q3 2021.
Boston, Toronto, London, New Delhi, Beijing, Taipei, Seoul – May 4, 2021
The global TWS (True Wireless Stereo Headset) market is expected to grow 33% YoY (year-over-year) in 2021, reaching 310 million units, according to the Counterpoint Global Hearables (TWS) Market Forecast, 2021-2023. In 2020, it grew 78% YoY despite the pandemic-triggered economic downturn, numbers from the Counterpoint Global Hearables (TWS) Market Tracker for Q4 2020 show. The market slightly exceeded the initial annual estimate for 2020 to reach 233 million units, mainly driven by the strong performance of low- and mid-price segments.
COVID-19 impacted TWS production in China early last year, but the situation has improved since then and the production capacity is now at full-utilization levels. In terms of consumer demand, the impact has been limited, as the market has a relatively higher portion of online sales than other tech devices. Besides, more consumers were willing to purchase tech gadgets and accessories to improve their work/study-from-home experiences.
However, the proportion of low- to mid-end model sales has increased faster than expected due to the economic downturn and related uncertainties. The phenomenon has indeed affected high-end brands’ performances and the overall blended ASP (average selling price) of the market.
Source: Counterpoint Research Global Hearables (TWS) Market Forecast 2021-2023
As COVID-19 will unlikely ease in a short time despite the spread of vaccination, the pent-up demand for high-end TWS is not expected to explode until late Q3 2021. Therefore, major top brands such as Apple are likely to launch next-generation products and make aggressive moves from Q4 onwards this year, which will boost the TWS market further. However, the high growth of the low- to mid-end segment will remain unchanged through the year.
In terms of brand performance, there was no big surprise in 2020. Apple continued to dominate but its share declined steadily through the year and fell below one-third of the TWS market. This year, it will remain a leader selling around 84 million units, but still lose share by 4%p. Xiaomi and Samsung will follow Apple with shares similar to those in 2020.
Senior Research AnalystLiz Lee said, “Most anticipated is a new release from Apple, its first in two years. We expect it to be one of the biggest drivers of TWS market growth from Q4 2021 to the next year. Apple will maintain strong market leadership based on its loyal customer base, although its share will inevitably fall with the intensifying competition.”
Lee added, “At that point, the market focus will gradually shift to the mid- to high-price segment as vaccinations help consumer sentiment improve. Then, most premium brands will add advanced features and various functions to their new models and create high value addition in the long term. Meanwhile, low- to mid-priced brands will further enhance price competitiveness to compete for market share.”
Our detailed report‘Global Hearables (TWS) market forecast, 2021-2023’is available on our Research portal.
Feel free to reach out to us at press(at)counterpointresearch.comfor questions regarding our latest research and insights, and for press enquiries.
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.
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Not only ANC but other functions are also gaining importance. Dedicated apps, in particular, are seeing increased adoption as they provide an immersive entertainment experience. The adoption rate of dedicated apps has increased by almost two times both in the sub-$100 and over-$100 segments. Consumers looking to set their own music preferences and maximize sound quality through own equalizer have dedicated apps as one of their key priorities when purchasing a TWS. Device detection and finding own TWS through an app are some of the other features becoming popular. Adoption of these features was not much in the models released before December 2019, but it increased significantly in the models released after January 2020. 
