BUYERS' GUIDE NOMADIC
BUYERS' GUIDE NOMADIC LIFESTYLE IN-EAR HEADPHONES MARKET Within the growing market for Headphones and Mobile Stereo Headsets in Europe 6*, 46% of the total sales value in the first half of 2017 is generated by In Ear devices. Bluetooth continues to be the growth driver for those devices and reaches a value share of 31% within the in-ear segment. This represents a Bluetooth in-ear sales value growth of 161% for January to June 2017 compared to the previous year period. Two new wearing styles are gaining weight in the Bluetooth in-ear market in the first half of 2017: True Wireless and Collar- Style devices. True Wireless refers to devices with two separate wireless earbuds that are becoming increasingly popular, enhancing the growth of the Bluetooth in-ear segment. Collar-style devices have a rigid collar sitting on the neck and shoulders, and are launched by more and more brands. Furthermore, in-ear Headphones and Mobile Stereo Headsets which are especially designed for wearing whilst doing sports are further gaining weight in the in-ear market and account for almost one quarter of the total In Ear segment. *EU6 = DE, ES, FR, GB, IT, NL CONTACT Martina Huerbinger Marketing Manager Mobile Consumer Electronics GfK Retail and Technology martina.huerbinger@gfk.com THE FUTURE As technology improves, we can expect better sound quality in increasingly smaller in-ear headphones. Also, true wireless earphones like Apples AirPods or Samsungs IconX can reach their full potential with better sound quality and equal battery life. Now we only need a way to prevent us from losing one of our true wireless headphones. Maybe a wire will be needed after all… STATE OF PLAY In recent years, the focus of the in-ear headphone market was sports. Easy to wear and comfortable headphones which will hold during sports. But recent developments in audio like hi-res audio will show a shift to high quality in-ear headphones. INNOVATIONS TO LOOK FOR AT IFA WIRELESS, WIRELESS AND… WIRELESS! More and more in-ear headphones will be wireless and really comfortable. With small batteries and really good connectivity options in-ear buds are elegant and fashionable. This characteristic will attract the public, rather than niche audiences. With this in mind, wireless is very dominant. USB-TYPE C If headphones have a wire, it will probably will be a USB-C connection. Since the removal of the headphone jack by Apple, more and more manufacturers are banning the analogue input from their products. Where Apple switched to Lightning-headphones, others will stick to USB type C. However, this doesn’t mean the headphone-jack will disappear entirely. Our thanks to Wouter Diemer, Editor in Chief Zoom.nl, Media Totaal – EISA Member - for his input. INNOVATING @ IFA SENNHEISER UNVEILS MOMENTUM FREE BLUETOOTH IN-EAR HEADPHONES MOMENTUM Free, an all-new wireless headphone model from Sennheiser, has been launched at IFA. For convenience, the MOMENTUM Free features ergonomically-designed magnetic earpieces that link together when not in use. MOMENTUM Free also features Bluetooth 4.2 as well as Qualcomm apt-X and AAC codec support; a three-button remote and in-line microphone can be used for making calls and controlling music. Multiconnection with up to two devices at once and three-way calling support are also provided. » HALL 1.2 / STAND 202 HI-RES Playing hi-res audio will become the new standard for wireless headphone-users. Thanks to technology like aptX, it’s easy for consumers to listen to 24-bit music without the hassle of a wire. And since services like TIDAL now support MQA, hi-res music is more accessible than ever. With this development, the end user is the big winner. It gives the consumer not only a better connection but also a big improvement in sound quality. MONSTER iSPORT VICTORY Monster has loaded the iSport Victory with pretty much everything you’d want from a pair of wireless earphones. They’re sweat- and waterresistant, keep going for eight hours between charges and drown out the rest of the world with high sound isolation. They also come with a special Turbo mode sound profile for that extra hit of power, handy whether you’re at the gym or strutting into the office on a Monday morning. They are particularly light as well, and three sets of ear wings and silicon ear tips come included, so users should find the perfect fit. » HALL 1.2 / STAND 125 50
NOMADIC LIFESTYLE e-MOBILITY WIRELESS IN-EAR HEADPHONES PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT ADVERTORIAL KEY SELLING POINTS 1 PremiumPitch+ technology optimises the sound and includes additional features like LeakSlayer technology, which eliminates sound leakage 2 Six hours of music and calls – users can charge fully in 90 minutes 3 Bluetooth connectivity – new antenna for improved Bluetooth connection over previous model. AFTERSHOKZ DEBUTS “ULTIMATE SPORT HEADPHONES” AfterShokz has launched its next generation of wireless bone conduction headphones, Trekz Air, which it described as ultimate sport headphones inspired by the demands of elite and aspiring athletes. The wireless headphones wrap features in a functional, flexible and featherweight design – AfterShokz says that Trekz Air are 20% lighter than Trekz Titanium, weighing in at just 1.04oz. Trekz Air uses bone conduction technology to transmit audio waves to the inner ears through the skull, bypassing the eardrums completely. » HALL 4.2 / Stand 226 TRUE WIRELESS. TRUE FREEDOM Jabra has introduced an exciting upgrade to its Elite Sport true wireless headphones, now offering all-day power, customisable sound, and a fresh new colour. The most technically advanced true wireless sports earbuds, Jabra Elite Sport brings IP67- rated waterproofing, ground-breaking in-ear fitness analysis, strong battery life, and great sound for music. With a focus on the in-call experience, they deliver superior wireless audio quality, and thanks to 50% better battery life, they last throughout the day. Users can personalise their sound with equaliser profiles and settings stored in the earbuds themselves – thus remaining with Elite Sport even if the user connects to a different device. These added features, as well as a new Lime Green Grey colour, are being introduced throughout Q3 2017. » HALL 4.2 / Stand 205 KEY SELLING POINTS 1 All day listening - up to 13.5 hours’ charge 2 Secure and unique cord-free wearing style with one or both earbuds 3 Advanced personalised fitness analysis using in-ear heart rate monitor www.ifa-international.org IFA International • Friday 1 st September 2017 51
