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Earphone Headphone Market Share

ID: MRFR//6159-CR | 123 Pages | Author: Shubham Munde| February 2020


The earphone and headphone market is witnessing exponential growth fueled by the increasing demand for portable audio devices, advancements in wireless technology, and the rising popularity of music streaming services. In this highly competitive landscape, companies deploy various market share positioning strategies to gain a competitive edge and expand their presence. Earphones and headphones have become indispensable accessories for consumers worldwide, used not only for music but also for gaming, virtual meetings, and fitness activities. To effectively compete and capture significant market share, companies employ a range of strategic approaches.


One of the primary strategies employed by companies in the earphone and headphone market is product differentiation. With numerous players offering similar products, differentiation becomes crucial for attracting customers and establishing brand loyalty. Companies invest in research and development to introduce innovative features, sleek designs, and advanced technologies in their earphones and headphones. By offering unique value propositions such as noise cancellation, immersive sound quality, ergonomic designs, and compatibility with multiple devices, companies can differentiate their products and appeal to a broader customer base.


Moreover, strategic partnerships and collaborations play a pivotal role in market share positioning within the earphone and headphone market. Companies often form alliances with smartphone manufacturers, audio content providers, and celebrity endorsements to expand their market reach and enhance brand visibility. Collaborative efforts enable companies to leverage partner resources, access new distribution channels, and tap into niche markets. By aligning with key industry players and influencers, companies can strengthen their competitive position and effectively reach their target audience.


Furthermore, effective marketing and branding strategies are essential for companies seeking to enhance their market share in the earphone and headphone market. Building a strong brand identity and establishing an emotional connection with consumers are critical for driving brand preference and loyalty. Companies invest in multimedia advertising campaigns, social media engagement, and experiential marketing to create awareness and build brand equity. By crafting compelling brand narratives, emphasizing product benefits, and leveraging user-generated content, companies can differentiate themselves and resonate with their target audience.


In addition to product differentiation and strategic partnerships, pricing strategies play a significant role in market share positioning within the earphone and headphone market. Price competitiveness is a key consideration for consumers when making purchasing decisions. Companies adopt various pricing strategies such as competitive pricing, value bundling, and promotional discounts to attract customers and gain market share. While maintaining profitability is important, companies may offer flexible pricing options and financing solutions to cater to different consumer segments and increase market penetration.


Moreover, a strong focus on customer experience and service is essential for companies looking to enhance their market share in the earphone and headphone market. Providing superior customer support, hassle-free warranty policies, and personalized shopping experiences can foster brand loyalty and drive repeat purchases. Companies that prioritize customer-centricity differentiate themselves from competitors and build long-term relationships with consumers. By offering exceptional post-sales support and actively soliciting customer feedback, companies can continuously improve their products and services to meet evolving consumer needs.


Furthermore, geographical expansion and market diversification are key strategies employed by companies to increase their market share in the earphone and headphone market. By targeting new geographic regions, demographic segments, and distribution channels, companies can tap into untapped opportunities and reduce dependency on specific markets. Expanding product portfolios to include specialized categories such as gaming headsets, sports earphones, and wireless earbuds also enables companies to cater to diverse consumer preferences and capture a larger share of the market.


Covered Aspects:

Report Attribute/Metric Details
Base Year For Estimation 2021
Historical Data 2018-2020
Forecast Period 2022-2030
Growth Rate 11.2% (2022-2030)

Global Earphone and Headphone Market Overview:


Earphone and Headphone Market Size was valued at USD 31.04 billion in 2021. The Earphone and Headphone market industry is projected to grow from USD 34.51 billion in 2022 to USD 80.69 billion by 2030, exhibiting a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.2% during the forecast period (2022 - 2030). The increasing adoption of these headphones and earphones in gadgets, including mobile phones, tablets, and MP3 players, and changing consumer patterns who are increasingly demanding high-end products are factors fueling the growth of the market. Furthermore, the growing trend of product miniaturization, supported by technological advances such as wireless technology, active noise cancellation, and bone conduction have led to the demand for headphones and earphones with new functionalities.


FIGURE 1: Earphone and Headphone Market 2018-2030Earphone Headphone Market
Source: Secondary Research, Primary Research, MRFR Database, and Analyst Review


Latest Industry News:





Nothing Ear 3 might release in 2024. Although the product and debut date are still unknown, the UK-based company recently released a teaser on social media that suggested the release of a new product. Presumably, it will be the Nothing Ear 3. In 2021, Nothing introduced the Nothing Ear 1, their first true wireless stereo (TWS) earbuds. In 2022, the Nothing Ear 2 was revealed.





The QuietComfort Ultra Headphones, QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds, and QuietComfort Headphones are the three new audio products that Bose has introduced to the UK in 2023. The business touts the comfort, stability, high-quality audio, and noise cancellation of these devices.


Covid-19 Analysis


The COVID-19 epidemic had a small impact on the earphone and headphone market's growth. As a result of the pandemic, government entities were forced to implement strict shutdown measures and travel prohibitions, disrupting logistics, supply chain, and production capacities and reducing total sales. However, as a result of the imposed travel restrictions, consumer interest in online streaming platforms to see movies, web series, and talk shows rose, driving earphone use dramatically. Work from home also significantly increased the demand for earphones and headphones.


Earphone and Headphone Market Trends


Increasing Ownership of Mobile Phones, Tablets, and MP3 Players


Advancement in wireless technology and growing consumer preference for portable devices such as audio players, mobiles, and tablets are expected to drive the earphone and headphone market. These devices are primarily used for watching 4K and HD movies & videos, listening to high-quality music, and online content. Due to continuous updates in mobile software, headphone jack compatibility for audio players and smartphones gets affected, thus, headphone vendors manufacture wired and wireless headphones/ earphones to support the latest technologies. The introduction of noise cancellation technology in wireless headphones and earphones is a growing trend in the market as a result of continuous research and development by manufacturers to ensure high-quality sound output. In February 2019, Sound One, a Hong Kong-based manufacturer of audio products and mobile accessories, launched Sound One X60 wireless headphones in India. Sound One X60 uses a microphone equipped with wireless connectivity for hands-free calling.


Earphone and Headphone Market Segment Insights:


Earphone and Headphone Type Insights


Based on Type, the Earphone and Headphone Market is segmented into Wired Headphones, Wireless Headphone, Wired Earphones, and Wireless Earphone. Wired Earphones are expected to hold largest market share. However, Wireless earphone is expected to grow at a highest CAGR. Wired headphones and earphones are more beneficial than wireless headphones and earphones in terms of audio/sound quality, pricing, and battery life. Wireless headphone transfers the signal over the Bluetooth technology thereby, degrading the sound quality. Most of the wired headphones and earphones do not require a battery backup which helps in minimizing the noise created due to the battery power source. Wired headphones and earphones have a 3.5mm audio jack which is compatible with all the latest smartphones and audio devices. Wired headphones and earphones are widely used in the corporate sector, aerospace & defense, and media & entertainment.


FIGURE 2: Earphone and Headphone Market SHARE BY TYPE 2021 (%)Earphone and Headphone Market SHARE BY TYPE 2021
Source: Secondary Research, Primary Research, MRFR Database, and Analyst Review


Earphone and Headphone Application Insights


Based on application, the Earphone and Headphone Market is segmented into Media & Entertainment, Fitness/Sports, Gaming & AR/VR, Corporate, and Others. Media & Entertainment segment expected to hold largest market share and register a highest CAGR during the forecast period. In media & entertainment, wired and wireless headphones and earphones are used in newsrooms, sound recording rooms, and many others. Wireless headphones are used for watching smart TV, by disco jockeys (DJs), musicians, and many other groups of consumers.


Earphone and Headphone Regional Insights


In terms of revenue, Asia Pacific dominated the market in 2021. This is due to the region's high smartphone penetration and rising disposable income. Furthermore, various key business players are investing significantly in China owing to the emergence of low-cost technology and availability of cheap labor in the region. However, increasing availability of counterfeit products designed and manufactured, especially in India, has enabled various key players to establish their manufacturing facilities in the region, thereby resulting in market growth.


North America had the second greatest market share, followed by Europe. This is due to the existing established market, as well as the strong technological penetration in these locations. Companies in this region are focused on R&D and continual product development innovation. Furthermore, the presence of leading industry players such as Apple Inc., Bose Corporation, GN Store Nord A/S, Harman International Industries, Incorporated, and Sennheiser GmbH & Co., KG in the area is projected to drive the market in North America and Europe.


FIGURE 3: Earphone and Headphone Market SHARE BY REGION 2021 (%)Earphone and Headphone Market SHARE BY REGION 2021
Source: Secondary Research, Primary Research, MRFR Database, and Analyst Review


Earphone and Headphone Key Market Players & Competitive Insights


The global earphones and headphones market consist of various global and local manufacturers that are continuously developing new earphones and headphones based on advanced technology to expand globally and enhance their market position. The manufacturers compete based on affordability, product offerings, and technology in the earphones and headphones market. The rising applications of earphones and headphones in corporates, sports & fitness, media & entertainment, and others is fueling market growth. In, corporate, the headphones and earphones are used in call centers and for handling web clients on video calls. Furthermore, earphones and headphones have applications in aerospace and defense for conversations using noise cancellation technology.


The companies are primarily focusing on product development and launches. Various key players in the market such as Sony Corporation, Bose Corporation, and Sennheiser electronic GmbH & Co are developing earphones and headphones based on applications. The companies also emphasize designing their products according to the required specifications for personal use, corporates, and aerospace and defense. The improvement of the global economic scenario combined with technological advancements in the emerging economies such as India, South Africa, China, Brazil, and Argentina is likely to fuel the market growth; this makes it a lucrative opportunity for investors in the global earphones and headphones market.


Key Companies in the Earphone and Headphone market include:




  • Apple Inc (US)




  • Sony Corporation (Japan)




  • Sennheiser Electronic GmbH & Co. KG (Germany)




  • Bose Corporation (US)




  • Skullcandy Inc. (US)




  • AIAIAI ApS (Denmark)




  • AKG Acoustics GmbH (Austria)




  • Audio-Technica Corporation (Japan)




  • GmbH & Co. KG (Germany)




  • Creative Technology Ltd (Singapore)




  • Denon Electronics (USA)




  • LLC (US)




  • Grado Labs Inc. (US)




  • House of Marley LLC (US)




  • Jays AB (Sweden)




  • Others




Earphone and Headphone Industry Developments


June 2021: Adidas's premium sportswear manufacturer has collaborated with Zound Industries, an audio technology developer. The main focus behind this collaboration was to launch wireless audio product ranges like the neck-band design earphones alongside the over-the-head earphones. These have many positive features for the global market during the estimated period.


September 2018: Skullcandy, Inc. announced the launch of a new wireless headphone known as Riff Wireless. Riff Wireless headphone is lightweight, includes a bendable band, and is equipped with Bluetooth and Rapid Charge technology.


September 2018: Beats by Dre announced its merchandising and marketing partnership with the National Basketball Association (NBA). Through this partnership, Beats by Dre aims to be the official and the only wireless speaker, headphone, and audio partner for NBA.


Earphone and Headphone Market Segmentation:


Earphone and Headphone Type Outlook




  • Wired Headphones




  • Wired Earphones




  • Wireless Headphone




  • Wireless Earphone




Earphone and Headphone Application Outlook




  • Media & Entertainment




  • Fitness/Sports




  • Gaming & AR/VR




  • Corporate




  • Others




Earphone and Headphone Regional Outlook




  • North America







    • US




    • Canada




    • Mexico







  • Europe







    • Germany




    • France




    • UK




    • Rest of Europe







  • Asia-Pacific







    • China




    • Japan




    • India




    • Rest of Asia-Pacific







  • Middle East & Africa




  • South America



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