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HEADPHONES MARKET BLUETOOTH AS SIGNAL CONNECTION SHOT UP TO 14% OF MARKET VALUE IN HY1/2015 IN EU 6* COUNTRIES. For wired models, In Ear and Headband have the same value weight. For Bluetooth, however, the In Ear form factor accounts for one third of the turnover only in HY1/2015, but has grown even more strongly than Bluetooth Headband models. HEADPHONES & MOBILE STEREO HEADSETS SIGNAL CONNECTION IN EU* JAN-JUN 2015, SALES VALUE % Wired Bluetooth Other FORM FACTOR, EU 6* JAN-JUN 2015, SALES VALUE % 100 14% 77% STATE OF PLAY A report committed by Sandler Research predicts that the headphone market will increase by 12.7% from 2015 until 2019. Headphones are segmented by type of product into in-ear, on-ear and over-ear headphones, and also by type of technology into wired and wireless headphones. Nowadays, “cans” are more than just an accessory – they reflect the personality of the user, especially among younger generations. However, in many cases good looking headphones can be more important than better sounding ones. INNOVATIONS TO LOOK FOR AT IFA FORM AND FUNCTION Headphones used to be just another piece of audio equipment and they were all coming in black or grey colour, but today they tell much more about the owner. We could even compare this trend with wrist watches, also becoming more than an accessory. Today’s headphones are often incorporate premium materials like leather, wood or steel. New Sennheiser’s MOMENTUM 2 headphones are a perfect example of a product that reflects masculine look. Sliders which are made of stainless steel give the user the flexibility to comfortably adjust earphones. Ear cushions are covered with luxurious leather and also offer good passive noise isolation. NOISE CANCELLING ACCOMPLISHED Active noise cancelation is quite a known technology now. Initially it was reserved for aeronautic industry as it was fairly expensive. The first time this technology came down to consumer headphones, these did not score so well in sound quality. Indeed, the early implementation of active noise cancelling was ruining music reproduction, the only question being how much did it spoil the music. BETTER RUNNING EXPERIENCE Manufacturers have long tried to design perfect headphones for running. Remember headphones with headband behind your head? Or headphones with integrated MP3 players? Those days are long gone now. For instance, coming from brand named Trainer, owned by Gibson Innovations, the innovative headphones in this segment have dual headband so that they fit much better on head and will not fall off regardless how fast you run. 80 50% 34% +392% 60 INNOVATING @ IFA Headband In Ear *EU6 = DE, ES, FR, GB, IT, NL CONTACT Martina Huerbinger Marketing Manager Mobile Consumer Electronics GfK Retail and Technology martina.huerbinger@gfk.com 40 20 0 50% 65% +68% THE FUTURE We can expect an increase of market share in the case of Bluetooth headphones, but also growing popularity of headphones with active noise cancellation. More and more people listen to music on the move in cities that are getting noisier, so good isolation is more than welcome. Naturally, most of the headphones will provide additional microphone for phone call support. The future of headphones is bright, users can enjoy more personalisation in each product, and diversity is highly desired. HD 630VB BY SENNHEISER These circumaural headphones deliver balanced, audiophile sound and offer a distraction-free listening experience. Featuring a rotary bass dial, the HD 630VB allows for the user to customise the bass response according to their personal preferences. » HALL 1.2 / STAND 202 » HALL 1.2 / STAND 202 » HALL 1.2 / STAND 105 SHB9850NC WIRELESS ANC HEADPHONES BY PHILIPS The Philips SHB9850NC use breakthrough ActiveShield Pro technology to eliminate 99 percent of background noise. It houses four microphones that monitor ambient sounds and invert them, effectively converting them into silence. The wireless Bluetooth operation and 16-hour battery life mean you can have comfortable, continuous entertainment. » HALL 22 / STAND 101 By Ljubiša Miodragovic, Vice-President of EISA www.ifa-international.org IFA International • Friday 4 th September 2015 39
