Noise Archives - Counterpoint

Global TWS Market Dominated by Entry-level Segment in H1 2023, Premium Segment Cools

The entry-level (<$50) segment continued to grow as TWS adoption rose across emerging markets.
Premium brands such as Apple, Samsung and Sony marked a slowdown due to a lack of new models.
For full year 2023, we forecast TWS sales to grow 2% in volume but decline 3% in value due to a mix shift towards low-cost TWS sales across emerging markets.

The global TWS market’s unit sales slipped only 2% YoY in H1 2023, according to the latest data from Counterpoint’s TWS Hearables Market Tracker, despite low demand for IT devices amid macroeconomic headwinds and consumer weakness. Surprisingly, the TWS market seemed somewhat immune to inflationary headwinds, especially the <$50 entry-level segment where sales increased 15% YoY in H1 2023. This mitigated the sales decline in higher-tier price segments as TWS demand polarized towards the entry and premium categories.

Some of these ups and downs within the price segments were driven by regional demand dynamics. In H1 2023, demand contracted in mature markets like North America and Europe where the TWS penetration has reached a mature level. In contrast, underpenetrated emerging markets like India, the Middle East and Africa, and Latin America registered robust growth during the period. China, one of the world’s largest TWS markets, showed signs of recovery as the COVID-19-related lockdowns eased in the latter half of 2022. The uptick in H1 2023 was also driven by the 618 e-commerce festival and promotions in China. The period also witnessed the rise of low-cost TWS brands. Chinese entry-level brand ZhengQibing saw sales unit growth of 141% YoY in H1 2023 as it focused on the sub-$20 models with attractive features and CMF designs.

Global TWS Market Share by Price Band, H1 2023 vs H1 2022 (Retail Price-based)

Source: Counterpoint’s TWS Hearables Market Tracker, Q2 2023

Additionally, the rising demand for TWS in big underpenetrated markets such as India, along with the Chinese market’s recovery helped the <$50 price category grow further. India’s Q2 2023 TWS shipments rose 34% YoY, capturing a 15% global share.

In India, local TWS brands such as boAt, Boult Audio and Noise reported strong double-digit YoY growth in Q2 2023driven by a broader portfolio of entry-level models. boAt successfully leveraged online shopping events like Amazon Prime Day, Flipkart Big Saving Days, and other online promotions to fulfill the demand for new affordable models. Boult Audio, with a keen focus on affordability, strategically launched a series of new models priced below $25, effectively drawing in customers. Noise‘s major model series, the Noise VS102 and VS404, were well received due to their affordable price, satisfactory sound quality, and long battery life. Additionally, they offered an up to 80% discount on their audio products during the Noise Anniversary Sales in 2023. The enhanced performance of models in the <$25 (retail price) segment also played a significant role in boosting sales.

Specifications of Major Entry-level TWS Models

Sources: Official Websites

Global TWS Market Growth by Price Band, H1 2023 vs H1 2022 (Retail Price-based)

Source: Counterpoint’s TWS Hearables Market Tracker, Q2.2023

Meanwhile, major global players such as Apple, Samsung and Sony saw market share declines and slower growth in the absence of new models. These premium-focused brands are bringing about incremental improvements in features compared to the low-cost models of challenger brands that are trying to innovate on design, audio features, latency, battery life, and more. Samsung also saw a noticeable decline in sales share on the high-tier price range with its aggressive pricing and promotions on the Galaxy Buds 2, due to a mix-shift in sales volumes centered around the $50-$100 price segment. Overall, the absence of new model releases and the lack of new features failed to drive replacement demand which resulted in a decrease in sales in the high- and premium-tier segments in H1 2023. The upcoming AirPods 2 with the new H2 chip and support for lossless audio, optimized for the upcoming Apple Vision Pro XR headset, could drive some uptick during the holiday season in Q4 2023.

Looking forward, the global TWS market’s sales volume is set to grow by 2% YoY in 2023, but revenue will decrease by 3% YoY. We expect the TWS market to keep growing till 2026 and the attach rate to new smartphone sales to reach 36% as the average lifespan of a TWS device before replacement reaches 1.5-1.8 years.

Global Smartwatch Shipments See YoY Growth After Two Quarters

In Q2 2023, global smartwatch shipments increased 11% YoY after declining for two successive quarters.
For the first time in two years, Huawei took the second spot, fueled by a 58% YoY surge in domestic shipments.
India’s market recorded a remarkable 70% YoY growth, whereas North America saw a 9% decline.

Seoul, New Delhi, Hong Kong, Beijing, London, Buenos Aires, San Diego – August 29, 2023

Global smartwatch shipments increased 11% YoY in Q2 2023 after declining in both Q4 2022 and Q1 2023, according to Counterpoint Research’s recently published Global Smartwatch Model Tracker. India’s shipments soared by 70% YoY, serving as the primary driver for the global market’s rebound. China’s market also recorded a modest increase. Besides, a shift in the competitive landscape was evident as Huawei ascended to the second position in terms of global market share.

Research Analyst Woojin Son said, “Huawei recorded impressive growth in Q2 2023, securing the second position in quarterly shipments for the first time in two years. The leading Chinese brand’s growth stagnated for some time due to technological sanctions and a slowdown in its domestic market. Although the Chinese market’s recovery remained lukewarm, Huawei aggressively pushed new flagship products such as the Watch 4 series into the market in Q2, achieving its highest quarterly shipments after 2020. Huawei seems to be determined to bounce back in the market. It remains to be seen whether this momentum can be effectively expanded to other sectors, such as smartphones.”

Global Top 3 Smartwatch Brands’ Shipment Share, Q2 2023 vs Q2 2022

Source: Counterpoint Global Smartwatch Model Shipment & Revenue Tracker, Q2 2023

Market summary

Apple saw a 10% YoY decline in its Q2 2023 shipments. This decline pushed its Q2 shipments to below 8 million units for the first time in three years. Consequently, Apple’s market share fell to 22% from 27% in Q2 2022.
Huawei made big strides by increasing its domestic market share to 39% following a surge of 58% in shipments. This achievement propelled the brand to the second spot in the global smartwatch market share rankings. Another significant change was observed in the premium segment, especially in the >$500 band. Huawei’s products in the >$500 band in China expanded their share in the band to 52% in Q2 2023, a remarkable leap from the brand’s near-absence from the band in the same quarter of 2022.
Indian brands Noise and Fire-Boltt emerged as major contenders, boasting 86% and 70% YoY growth, respectively. Within Noise’s offerings, products priced under $50 constituted a significant 98% of total shipments. Noise’s Colorfit Icon series managed to carve out a substantial 28% share of the total shipments. Fire-Boltt also made strides in expanding its market share by capitalizing on cost-effective smartwatches.
Samsung witnessed a 19% YoY decline in Q2 2023. The brand managed to boost shipments in the Chinese and Indian markets. Samsung’s performance in North America and Europe, its pivotal markets, recorded 24% and 13% YoY declines, respectively.

Smartwatch Shipment Share by Region, Q2 2023 vs Q2 2022

Source: Counterpoint Global Smartwatch Model Shipment & Revenue Tracker, Q2 2023

In terms of regional shipment shares, India’s market stood at 34%, a 12% points surge compared to the year-ago period. In Q2 2023, 88% of India’s smartwatch shipments were dominated by products priced <$50. Leading the charge in this segment were Noise, Fire-Boltt and boAt, collectively contributing to 72% of India’s total shipments.

The Chinese market’s share declined due to the swift expansion of India’s market. However, China’s shipments grew 5% from Q2 2022. In terms of revenue, the share of products priced >$500 surged to around 34% in China.

In North America, there was an 9% YoY reduction in shipments in Q2 2023. However, the revenue saw a rise of around 3% due to the sustained popularity of high-end premium products. Nevertheless, North America’s share in global smartwatch revenues declined, compared to both Q2 2022 and Q2 2021.

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

Sujeong Lim

Neil Shah

Follow Counterpoint Research

press(at)counterpointresearch.com

India Smartwatch Market’s 121% YoY Growth Restricts Global Decline to 1.5% in Q1 2023

The global smartwatch market continued to contract in Q1 2023 following an 8% YoY decline in Q4 2022.
Fire-Boltt surpassed Samsung for the first time in the global smartwatch market, capturing the second spot.
All regions except India witnessed a YoY decline in shipments in Q1 2023.

Seoul, New Delhi, Hong Kong, Beijing, London, Buenos Aires, San Diego – May 25, 2023

Global smartwatch shipments contracted 1.5% YoY in Q1 2023, according to Counterpoint Research’s latest Global Smartwatch Model Tracker. The 121% growth in India’s shipments managed to restrict the decline. This was the second consecutive quarter of a YoY decrease in global shipments, which were hit by the seasonal decline in demand for products from major players like Apple and Samsung, along with consumer sentiment dampened by global financial pressures.

Research Analyst Woojin Son said, “The global smartwatch market, which had been experiencing steep growth for several years, has entered a period of stagnation since the end of last year when it declined 8% YoY in Q4 2022. Amid a global slowdown in demand for tech devices, the smartwatch consumption trend has also undergone a transformation. The market share of high-price and high-performance HLOS smartwatches*, primarily released by Apple and Samsung, decreased from 60% in Q1 2022 to 53% in Q1 2023. On the other hand, the market share of Basic smartwatches* significantly increased from 23% to 34% driven by rapid growth in the Indian market. Although the overall smartwatch shipment volume declined slightly compared to last year, affordable products that offer a certain level of performance generated substantial demand based on their price accessibility. These low-end smartwatches are also absorbing or replacing the existing smartband market.”

Global Top 3 Smartwatch Brands’ Shipment Share, Q1 2023 vs Q1 2022

Source: Counterpoint Global Smartwatch Model Shipment & Revenue Tracker, Q1 2023

Market summary

Apple’s shipment volume fell 20% YoY in Q1 2023. This was the first time in three years that its Q1 shipments fell below 10 million units. As a result, Apple’s market share, which was 32% in Q1 2022, dropped to 26%. This can be attributed to the ongoing macroeconomic crisis, which has led to decreased accessibility to relatively higher-priced Apple Watches. Despite the Apple Watch Series 8’s release about a month ahead of its predecessor, it did not achieve the same level of success as the previous model.
Indian brand Fire-Boltt surpassed Samsung for the first time and reached the second position in the global market. Its shipments increased by approximately three times compared to the previous year and saw a 57% growth compared to the previous quarter. This reflects the rapid growth of the Indian market, just like other local brands such as Noise and boAt.
While Samsung experienced a 15% increase in shipments in its key market North America, it witnessed a decline in shipments in other major markets. As a result, its overall global shipments declined by 15% compared to the previous year and 21% compared to the previous quarter.
Huawei, the most influential Chinese OEM, saw a 14% YoY decline in its shipments in the Chinese market, which is a key market for the company. However, Huawei saw increased shipments in India, LATAM and MEA, limiting its overall decline in global shipments to 9%. Huawei has been employing a strategy of relaunching models previously released for the Chinese market in the international market.

Smartwatch Shipment Share by Region, Q1 2023 vs Q1 2022

Note: Figures may not add up to 100% due to rounding

Source: Counterpoint Global Smartwatch Model Tracker, Q1 2023

In terms of the regional markets, India surpassed North America, reclaiming its position as the top region with a 27% share of global smartwatch shipments. Senior Analyst Anshika Jain said, “India’s smartwatch market grew 121% YoY in Q1 2023 driven by affordability, rising customer demand and availability of a wide variety of options in the budget segment. Around 40% of the total shipments were driven by the <INR 2,000 (<$25) price band, its highest proportion ever. The share of India-based players crossed 90% for the first time as they were quick in terms of upgrading their portfolios and adapting their products to customer needs at a reasonable price point.”

China’s smartwatch market experienced a significant contraction of 28% compared to the previous year, as the country’s economy showed a slower recovery than expected. This decline represents the sharpest contraction among the major regional markets and the lowest quarterly shipments since the outbreak of COVID-19 in Q1 2020.

*Types of smartwatches:

HLOS smartwatch: Electronic watch running a high-level OS, such as Watch OS (Apple) or Wear OS (Samsung), with the ability to install third-party apps.
Basic smartwatch: Electronic watch running a lighter version of an OS, with no ability to install third-party apps.

Background

Analyst Contacts

Sujeong Lim

Neil Shah

Follow Counterpoint Research

press@counterpointresearch.com

India Neckband Shipments Declined 9% YoY in 2022

boAt led the market with a 27% share, while OnePlus and realme took the second and third spots respectively.
Indian brands took a 62% share in 2022, grabbing seven spots in the top-10 list.
The entry-level price band (<INR 1,000 or around <$13) is becoming a sweet spot, taking almost one-third share in 2022.
OnePlus took the top spot in Q4 2022 for the very first time with a 20.2% share.
OnePlus’ Bullets Wireless Z2 Edition was the best-selling device in 2022 with a 14% share in the overall neckband market.
Sony led the mid-segment (INR 3,000-INR 5,000) in 2022 with a 37% share.

New Delhi, Beijing, Hong Kong, Seoul, London, San Jose, Buenos Aires – March 22, 2023

India’s neckband market shipments declined 9%YoY in 2022, according to the latest research from Counterpoint’s IoT Service. This decline was primarily due to seasonality and rising competition between hearable types. Indian consumers have started preferring Truly Wireless Stereo (TWS) devices over neckbands, especially due to their sleek design, newly added features and affordable prices. However, the demand for neckbands is still strong in the Indian market as many consumers use neckbands as a secondary device that is affordable, ideal for longer usage and suitable for applications like running, workout and travelling.

Commenting on the market trends, Senior Research Analyst Anshika Jain said, “Indian neckbands are expanding towards the low-price tier of <INR 1,000 (or around <$13), which reached its highest ever share of 32% in 2022, up from 20% in 2021. Many brands are focusing on this tier to acquire the wired earphone user base. Over 80 brands entered the neckband market in 2022, reflecting the growth potential of this market. In terms of distribution, online channels contributed nearly three-fourths of total shipments with Flipkart taking the lead followed by Amazon. boAt, OnePlus and Boult Audio were the top-selling brands in the online segment.”

Jain added, “In 2022, the homegrown brands captured seven spots in the list of top 10 brands with boAt taking the top spot. However, the contribution of local brands remained at 62% (showing a slight dip compared to 2021) as Chinese brand OnePlus started gaining prominence with its Bullets Wireless Z2 model. In fact, in Q4 2022, OnePlus became the top player in India’s neckband market for the very first time. Global brands took only a 3% share led by Sony, Samsung and JBL. Sony led the mid-segment (INR 3,000-INR 5,000) in 2022 with a 37% share.”

Talking about the local manufacturing scenario, Research Analyst Akshay RS said, “In 2022, domestic manufacturing contributed 13% of total shipments, up from just 2% in 2021. With boAt, Mivi and Boult Audio ramping up their local manufacturing capabilities, these brands together accounted for over 75% of the total domestic shipment volume in 2022. Noise, Gizmore, Portronics, Aroma, pTron and Wings also started offering locally produced neckbands in 2022.”

Source: India Hearables (Neckband) Shipments, Model Tracker, Q4 2022

Note: boAt’s share includes Tagg and Defy shares

Market summary for 2022

boAt maintained its lead with a 27% market share driven by its wide range of products in the budget segment, multiple celebrity endorsements and aggressive festive season promotions. The boAt Rockerz 255 Pro Plus was the second most popular neckband in the market and captured a 17% share in the brand’s portfolio. boAt took five spots in the top 10 best-selling neckbands.
OnePlus maintained its second spot with an 18% market share driven by the growing popularity of the Bullet Wireless Z2 model. Also, the Bullets Wireless Z2 model was the best-selling device in the market and contributed 14% share of the total neckband volume.
realme took the third spot in the top five neckband brands’ rankings with a 7% market share. The Buds Wireless 2 Neo drove the majority of its shipments followed by the Buds Wireless 2S. Strong channel presence, installed smartphone base and value-for-money offerings were the major factors that pushed its growth.
Boult Audio grabbed the fourth spot with a 5% share driven by its wider portfolio across price bands. The brand is picking up in the domestic manufacturing space. The Boult Audio Curve model was the brand’s bestseller, capturing a 31% share.
Ubon rose to the fifth spot with a 3% share. The brand focused on launching more devices in the affordable segment. Almost two-thirds of its volume was driven by online channels.

Source: India Hearables (Neckband) Shipments, Model Tracker, Q4 2022

Note: boAt’s share includes Tagg and Defy shares

Market summary for Q4 2022

India’s neckband shipments saw a 36% YoY decline in Q4 2022 due to the high volumes of inventory that were moved to the channels during the festive season and changing customer preferences.
OnePlus led India’s neckband market for the first time with a 20.2% share, while boAt captured the second spot with a 16% share. OnePlus’ Bullets Wireless Z2 was the best-selling neckband for the third consecutive quarter with a share of 20% in Q4 2022.
Boult Audio, Mivi and Aroma were the fastest-growing brands in Q4 2022. Domestic production and budget offerings took the brands to the top-five list.
The shipment volume of the <INR 1,000 price band (or around $13) grew 15% YoY in Q4 2022. Boult Audio drove the volume for this price band with an 18% share, followed by Aroma, Signature and boAt.
In Q4 2022, domestic manufacturing saw rapid growth, contributing one-fourth of the total shipments.
Noise, Zebronics, pTron and Signature were the other emerging brands in Q4 2022 that made a mark in the top-10 list.

According to a recent consumer study by Counterpoint, 15% of TWS users prefer to plan for other forms of wireless earphones, like neckbands, as their next purchase. India’s neckband market is approximately 1.3x of its TWS market. Going forward, competition can be expected between the neckband and TWS segments as some users prefer neckbands due to convenience during workouts. However, we will continue to see more innovation happening in the TWS category.

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.

Global Smartwatch Shipments Grow 9% YoY in 2022; Price Polarization Seen in Demand

The market showed decent YoY growth in 2022, though it dropped 8% YoY in Q4
Quarterly shipments turned to a YoY decline after seven consecutive quarters of growth.
Shipments in the >$400 price band more than doubled in 2022, while the mid-price range saw a YoY drop.
Indian brands such as Noise and Fire Boltt found spots in the global top 5 sellers’ list thanks to the rapid growth of their domestic market.

Seoul, New Delhi, Hong Kong, Beijing, London, Buenos Aires, San Diego – February 22, 2023

The global smartwatch market shipments grew 9% YoY in 2022 due to the strong YoY growth witnessed in the first three quarters of the year, according to Counterpoint Research’s recently published Global Smartwatch Model Tracker. But the shipments fell 8% YoY in Q4 2022 amid inflationary pressures and slow India growth. This was the market’s first negative growth in eight quarters since the pandemic hit the world in 2020.

Global Top-selling Smartwatch Brands’ Shipment Share, 2022 vs 2021

Source: Counterpoint Global Smartwatch Model Shipment & Revenue Tracker, Q4 2022

The most striking feature of the year was price polarization in demand. Shipments in the mid-price range decreased while those in the >$400 and ≤$100 segments increased 104% and 41%, respectively, compared to the previous year.

Research Analyst Woojin Son said, “Apple strongly drove the average selling price (ASP) rise in the global smartwatch market in 2022, especially in the >$400 price band. There are two main reasons for this ASP rise – a diversified Apple smartwatch line-up and a rise in the exchange rate. This year, Apple released its first premium model, Ultra, at a release price of $799 in the US. In addition, as the exchange rate rose, the local price of Apple Watch in various countries changed. The demand for the premium segment remained relatively strong despite the decline in consumer sentiment at the end of 2022.

Son added, “On the other hand, we must be cautious about the low-price band of sub-$100. While this segment expanded in 2022 along with the remarkable growth of India’s market, it showed a large withdrawal in Q4 when compared to Q3.”

Global Smartwatch Shipment Share by Wholesale Price Band, 2022 vs 2021

Source: Counterpoint Global Smartwatch Model Shipment & Revenue Tracker, Q4 2022

Market summary

In 2022, Apple’s global market share decreased by 2.6%p with shipments remaining almost flat year on year. In terms of revenue, however, it grew 15% YoY, accounting for 56% of the global smartwatch market revenue and further widening the gap with No. 2 Samsung.
Samsung’s yearly shipments increased by 12% to account for more than 10% of global smartwatch shipments in 2022. Although sales of the newly released Galaxy Watch 5 series in the year were positive, its revenues only increased by less than 1%, which seems to be largely due to a slight drop in the ASP compared to the previous year.
Huawei‘s market share fell 0.5%p YoY due to the Chinese smartwatch market losing momentum to India in 2022. However, the brand’s revenue increased by 20% thanks to its relative focus on HLOS* smartwatches.
Noise and Fire Boltt, the Indian brands that supported the rapid growth of their home market, showed excellent growth in 2022. The two brands surpassed 5% of the global market share to rank fourth and fifth, respectively. Although the makers failed to beat Huawei as the Indian market’s growth slowed in Q4, they are attracting discussions on whether they will be able to threaten Samsung’s position beyond Huawei next year.
Fitbit and Xiaomi’s rankings fell to 10th and 11th in 2022 from 7th and 8th in the previous year. The strength of Indian brands was also affected, but these two brands failed to defend their share in their main markets like North America (Fitbit) and China (Xiaomi). Their shipments were decreased or flat compared to the previous year.

Smartwatch Shipment Share by Region, 2022 vs 2021

Note: Figures may not add up to 100% due to rounding

Source: Counterpoint Global Smartwatch Model Tracker, Q4 2022

In terms of regions, North America recovered as the largest smartwatch market in Q4 2022, which also allowed it to remain in first place for a full year again. The Apple’s home market showed a significant increase in shipments QoQ, despite the sales of Apple Watches being lower than expected in the fourth quarter. However, North America’s share decreased slightly as India emerged as another core region in 2022.

India’s market more than doubled compared to 2021. It grew steadily until Q3 2022 but fell 36% QoQ in Q4. Senior Analyst Anshika Jain said, “The third quarter of 2022 saw a big rise because most of the brands pushed high inventories into the channel ahead of the festive season. Therefore, we saw a decline in shipments in the fourth quarter.”

In the fourth quarter of 2022, China’s shipments rebounded for the first time in the year as the COVID-zero policy was eased, and both Huawei and Apple are received a positive response with their more diverse products.

*Smartwatch type definition

HLOS smartwatch: Electronic watch running a high-level OS, such as Watch OS (Apple) or Wear OS (Samsung), with the ability to install third-party apps.
Basic smartwatch: Electronic watch running a lighter version of an OS, with the inability to install third-party apps.

Background

Analyst Contacts

Sujeong Lim

Neil Shah

Follow Counterpoint Research

press@counterpointresearch.com

India TWS Market Shipments up 85% YoY in 2022; Top 5 Spots Taken by Indian Players for First Time

Leading player boAt posted 89% YoY growth, contributing two-fifths of the total shipments.
For the first time, the top five spots in the India TWS market were captured by local brands.
Indian brands reached their highest ever share of 80%.
Domestic manufacturing captured a 30% shipment share in 2022, compared to just 2% in 2021.
The average selling price dropped by 20% YoY in 2022.

New Delhi, Beijing, Hong Kong, Seoul, London, San Jose, Buenos Aires – February 21, 2023

India’s TWS market shipments registered 85% YoY growth in 2022, according to the latest research from Counterpoint’s IoT service. Increasing local manufacturing helped drive the shipments, apart from timely sales events, frequent affordable offerings, and entry of new players.

Commenting on TWS brands’ performance in 2022, Senior Research Analyst Anshika Jain said, “Four-fifths of the total market was captured by Indian brands, their highest-ever share. For the first time, the top five spots were taken by local brands, which captured two-thirds of the total TWS shipments in India. Moreover, the majority of the new entrants this year were local brands. Further, Mivi, with its entirely locally produced TWS portfolio, grew 544% YoY and grabbed a position in the top five for the first time.

Evidently, Chinese and global brands lost some of their share to the Indian players this year. Chinese brands captured a 13% share in 2022 driven by the good performance of OnePlus’ feature-rich devices Nord Buds and Nord Buds CE. realme and OPPO also supported the growth of Chinese brands. Global brands took an 8% share led by Apple, Samsung and JBL.”

Talking about the local production scenario, Associate Director Liz Lee said, “Domestic manufacturing saw rapid growth, contributing 30% of the total shipments in 2022, compared to just 2% in 2021. Key homegrown brands boAt, Mivi and pTron ramped up their local manufacturing capabilities to account for 73% of the domestic shipment volume in 2022. Other key players like Noise, Truke, Boult Audio, Wings, Gizmore and Play also manufactured made-in-India devices for the first time this year. Moreover, this increase in the shipment share of local production largely led to a drop in the ASP (average selling price) by 20% in 2022. More new launches in the low-price band (INR 1,001-INR 2,000 or around $13-$25) also contributed to the drop.”

Source: India Hearables (TWS) Shipments, Model Tracker, 2021 vs 2022

Market Summary for 2022

boAt took the lead for the third year in a row with 89% YoY growth driven by increased penetration in domestic manufacturing, multiple affordable launches, and aggressive promotions. It captured seven spots in the rankings for top-10 best-selling models. The Airdopes 131 remained the top-selling model for the second consecutive year with a 10% share of the total TWS market shipments.
Noise rose to the second spot with 2x YoY The brand focused on its VS series which caters to the <INR 2,000 (or $25) price band. It added many new devices to the series in this period. Moreover, it opened the year 2022 with its expansion towards local production. As a result, it became the third-largest brand to offer made-in-India TWS devices.
Boult Audio grabbed the third spot with a 7% share and 167% YoY growth driven by aggressive marketing strategies and multiple new feature-rich offerings below INR 2,000 (<$25). It also entered the domestic manufacturing space for the first time in 2022. The majority of its volume was driven by the INR 1,001-INR 2,000 (or around $13-$25) retail price band. The Airbass XPods was the best-seller in its entire TWS portfolio.
Mivi grew 544% YoY this year and took the fourth position in the rankings for top-five brands for the first time, driven by its full-fledged made-in-India TWS portfolio, a good number of launches and huge presence in the entry-level price band (<INR 1,000 or around <$13) and low-price band (INR 1,001-INR 2,000 or around $13-$25).
PTron again took the fifth spot with a 5% share of the total TWS shipments. In addition, it was the largest brand in the entry-level price band (<INR 1,000 or around <$13).

Source: India Hearables (TWS) Shipments, Model Tracker, Q4 2022

Market Summary for Q4 2022

India’s TWS shipments saw 44% YoY growth in Q4 2022 driven by festive season sales and promotions and growing local production.
boAt grew 3% YoY to mark its tenth consecutive quarter of lead in Q4 2022, while Boult Audio stood second for the first time with an 11% share.
The top five TWS brands in India were all local brands – boAt, Boult Audio, Mivi, Ptron and Noise. They accounted for two-thirds of the total shipments.
In Q4 2022, Indian brands captured a record 84% share driven by boAt, Boult Audio, Mivi, Ptron and Noise.
With a 4% share, the boAt Airdopes 131 remained the top model for the seventh consecutive quarter in Q4 2022.
The INR 1,001-INR 2,000 retail price band (or around $13-$25) continued to fuel the TWS demand in India during Q4 2022 with an increased share of 75% in the overall shipments. boAt mainly drove the volume for this price band with a 45% share, followed by Boult Audio, Mivi, Noise and Wings.
The premium segment (>INR 5,000 or around >$60) captured a 4% share this quarter, driven by Samsung followed by Apple and JBL.

Background

Analyst Contacts

Anshika Jain

Liz Lee

Anam Padha

Counterpoint Research
press(at)counterpointresearch.com

India TWS Shipments Double YoY in Q3 2022; Indian Brands Capture Record 79% Share

boAt grew 128% YoY to mark its nine successive quarters of lead, while Noise stood second for the fourth consecutive quarter.
OnePlus bounced back strongly in the top-five rankings with a 6% share in Q3 2022.
Almost four in five TWS shipped in India were from an Indian brand.
Domestic manufacturing saw a record 288% quarterly growth this year, contributing to 34% of the total shipments.
Online channel maintained 79% of the volume with Flipkart in the lead.

New Delhi, Beijing, Hong Kong, Seoul, London, San Jose, Buenos Aires – November 17, 2022

India’s TWS (True Wireless Stereo earbuds) shipments doubled YoY in Q3 2022, according to the latest research from Counterpoint’s IoT Service. The growth was primarily driven by festive season inventory to meet the strong pent-up demand, multiple new launches, discount events and promotions.

Commenting on brand performance, Senior Research Analyst Anshika Jain said, “The top five TWS brands in India – boAt, Noise, Mivi, OnePlus and Boult Audio – accounted for almost 70% of the total shipments. OnePlus made a comeback in the top five driven by two recent launches – Nord Buds and Nord Buds CE – at an affordable price point. Indian brands showed the fastest YoY growth of 143% to reach their highest shipments ever in Q3 2022. Launching multiple devices according to customer needs, effective marketing tactics and aggressive participation in sales events have been their major growth drivers. Moreover, strong growth was observed in Q3 due to festive season sales and a focus on local manufacturing. People also use these devices for gifting purposes during festivals like Raksha Bandhan and for corporate gifts.”

On best-selling models, Jain said, “The top 10 TWS models captured 41% of the total TWS shipments. These models mostly catered to the low-mid price segment (INR 1,000-INR 3,000). Top player boAt captured seven spots in the top-10 best-selling model rankings. With a 9% share, the Airdopes 131 remained the top model for the sixth successive quarter. OnePlus took two spots with its recently launched models Nord Buds and Nord Buds CE grabbing a 2% share each. Noise took one spot with its best-performing buds VS102 model, which had a 3% share in Q3 2022.”

On distribution channels, Associate Research Director Liz Lee said, “It is still challenging for brands to strengthen their presence in offline channels, as a huge share of 79% still comes from the online market. In addition, the TWS online segment has a strong footprint on Flipkart, which has more than half of the total online shipment share. Key players Mivi and Boult Audio have recently stepped into the offline space and plan to go aggressive on their expansion offline. Online-centric brand Truke has also aimed to enter the offline market in the immediate quarter. We may witness brands existing in both online and offline marketplaces exploring and partnering with big retail chain companies to increase their offline presence.”

Source: India Hearables (TWS) Shipments, Model Tracker, Q3 2022

Summary

Dominant Indian brands lost a small share to Chinese and global brands in Q3 2022.

Indian brands grew 143% YoY in Q3 2022 driven by boAt, Noise, Mivi, Boult Audio and Ptron. All the new entrants in Q3 2022 were local brands, namely Mobatree, 5 Elements, Duffer and Lyne (a U&I sub-brand). Besides, Indian brands had high penetration in the low-price segment (<INR 2,000 or <$50), with a cumulative share of 95%.
Chinese brands saw an increased share of 13% in Q3 2022. OnePlus drove this growth by offering a feature-rich device, the Nord Buds CE, at the lowest price point in its entire TWS portfolio. The good performance of the Nord Buds model also contributed to its growth. realme and OPPO also offered multiple new advanced TWS devices that further supported the growth of Chinese brands.
Global brands, which mostly cater to the premium segment (>INR 5,000), strengthened their growth with Apple launching its much-awaited new model, the Airpods Pro (2^nd Gen). Global brands saw 91% QoQ and 9% YoY growth in Q3 2022, which was driven by Samsung, JBL and Apple.

Background

Analyst Contacts:

Anshika Jain

Liz Lee

Counterpoint Research
press(at)counterpointresearch.com

India TWS Shipments Increase 168% YoY in Q2 2022; Local Brands Capture Record Share at 81%

boAt continued to dominate with a 46% share, while Noise took the second spot for the third time in a row.
Mivi made it to the top five for the first time with a 6% share in Q2 2022.
Online channel penetration stood at 79%, with Flipkart capturing half of these shipments.

New Delhi, Beijing, Hong Kong, Seoul, London, San Jose, Buenos Aires – September 1, 2022

India’s TWS (True Wireless earbuds) shipments delivered a strong quarter with 168% YoY growth and 62% QoQ growth in Q2 2022, according to the latest research from Counterpoint’s IoT Service. The increased penetration of the low-price band (₹1,000-₹2,000 or $25-$50), multiple discount offers and growing popularity due to convenience of use led to this huge jump in market demand.

Commenting on the overall market, Senior Research Analyst Anshika Jain said, “India’s TWS market continues to show phenomenal growth due to the reasons like availability of low-priced new TWS devices, better features and functionalities like ANC, innovative designs, and low-latency mode for gaming. The market is expected to grow 47% in 2022 as new brands continue to arrive even as existing ones expand their channel presence. Besides, consumer demand is expected to rise during the festive period as people are also seeing TWS devices as a good option for gifting purposes.”

On local production, Jain added, “The share of domestic manufacturing stood at 16%, the highest ever. With boAt, Noise, Mivi and pTron ramping up their local manufacturing capabilities, these brands together accounted for 98% of the domestic shipment volume in Q2 2022. ‘Made in India’ has been taking the spotlight since the beginning of this year. But more brands started focusing on local manufacturing during this quarter. Gizmore and new entrant SWOTT also offered locally produced devices in Q2 2022. Further, we expect to see ‘Make in India’ devices from Truke and Portronics as they focus on localizing their manufacturing to maintain price competitiveness.”

Talking about the dominance of Indian brands, Associate Research Director Liz Lee said, “During Q2 2022, homegrown brands captured the top five brands rankings for the first time. These brands together took over 70% share and were quite aggressive in their marketing strategies, introducing new advanced alternatives at affordable prices along with discount schemes through various sales events. Besides, there has been a growing emphasis on roping in brand ambassadors to capture customer mind share. The top position was taken by boAt, followed by Noise and Boult Audio. Mivi entered the top five list for the very first time due to its focus on R&D and designing better quality products under the ‘Make in India’ scheme.”

Source: India Hearables (TWS) Shipments, Model Tracker, Q2 2022

Market summary for Q2 2022

boAt maintained its leadership with 236% YoY growth in Q2 2022. The substantial demand was driven by its new low-priced alternatives and big sales events like Amazon’s summer and mega music fest sales. The Airdopes 131 remained the bestseller model, contributing a 15% share to the overall TWS market shipments.
Noise maintained its second position for the third consecutive quarter with 190% YoY growth driven by its locally produced TWS earbuds. The brand again refreshed its low-priced VS series with the launch of the Noise Buds VS104 in Q2 2022. The Noise Buds VS102 was the brand’s most popular model, entering the top 10 models list for the quarter.
Boult Audio again took the third spot and reached a record high volume with 233% YoY During the quarter, it offered multiple new launches in the low-price segments (₹1,000-₹2,000 or $25-$50). The brand also participated in Amazon sales events to drive volumes. The Boult Audio Airbass X Pods grabbed a spot in the top 10 bestseller list, contributing 33% of the brand’s volume.
Mivi made it to the top five brand ranking for the very first time with more than 2X QoQ The Duopods F30 and Duopods M20 were its most popular devices.
PTron took the fifth spot with a 4% The brand actively participated in multiple sales events on different e-commerce platforms and offered two new launches at an entry-level price band (less than ₹1,000 or $13). The PTron Bassbuds Duo was its bestseller model, making it to the top 10 model rankings.

Other emerging brands in Q2 2022

OPPO saw 171% YoY growth driven by its frequent new launches. The brand launched the Enco buds Air 2 Pro in Q2 2022 in the mid-price segment. It was the second most popular model after the Enco Buds in the brand’s TWS offerings.
OnePlus maintained its position in the top 10 list. It released a new model Buds Pro in the mid-price segment in Q2 2022. The model is the least-priced TWS device in the brand’s portfolio.
Samsung took the first position in the premium segment driven by the popularity of its Galaxy Buds 2 and Galaxy Buds Pro models. The brand also offered discounts during Amazon’s summer sale.
Truke registered 75% YoY growth in Q2 2022. The brand offered two new alternatives at low price points with ENC technology. The Buds F1 model attained a record of selling 10,000 units on its launch day on Flipkart

Background

Analyst Contacts

Anshika Jain

Liz Lee

Counterpoint Research
press(at)counterpointresearch.com

India’s Q2 Smartwatch Shipments Highest Ever, Fire-Boltt Leads

Fire-Boltt led the market for the first time in Q2 2022 with 28% share.
Noise second with 26% share overall, but it was the best-selling brand in online channels.
boAt, together with its sub-brands, maintained the third place with 19% share.
Online channels contribute 67% to the total shipment volume with Amazon leading.

New Delhi, Boston, Toronto, London, Hong Kong, Beijing, Taipei, Seoul – Aug 19, 2022

India’s smartwatch market grew 312% YoY in Q2 2022, according to the latest research from Counterpoint’s IoT Service. This growth can be attributed to growing consumer interest in smartwatches as an accessory and as a fitness tracker. There were numerous product launches throughout the quarter as brands sought to grow their offline presence across the country.

Commenting on the market dynamics, Senior Research Analyst Anshika Jain commented, “India’s Smartwatch shipments grew by 4x annually in Q2 2022, with Fire-Boltt leading. Fire Boltt and Noise captured more than half of the total smartwatch market. The market is very dynamic and the top three positions will be fluid in the coming quarters. In terms of channels, we are seeing a steady increase in sales through offline channels with brands launching offline exclusive models and extending their partnerships with distributors across the country. One-third of the smartwatches are sold offline, the highest ever share. In the online domain, Amazon led the market followed by Flipkart, and with Noise, boAt and Fire-Boltt being the best-selling brands.”

Commenting on smartwatch models, Research Analyst Harshit Rastogi said, “We saw over 300 smartwatch models selling this quarter, the highest ever number. The top three brands combined offered 75 different models. The quarter saw over 50 new launches from major brands. Low-end smartwatches continue to attract more competition as half of the total models are in the sub-INR 3500 ($44) retail price band. Brands are pushing various models as consumers look for different options to choose from including dial size, display form etc. The colours and materials used continue to play a huge role in the purchase decision.”

Market Summary

Fire-Boltt led the market and had the most product launches in Q2 2022. Its increasing offline presence and good product features at affordable prices helped the brand to take the lead.
Noise captured the second spot with 26% share and registered 293% YoY growth. The brand has ramped-up its domestic production this quarter and contributed 3/4^th of the locally manufactured smartwatches. It introduced more models with Bluetooth calling features and this feature was present in 40% of its shipments for the quarter.
boAt registered 199% YoY growth and captured the third position. The Storm and Xtend models remained the most popular. It launched “boAt Primia”, its first smartwatch with Bluetooth calling this quarter. Its sub-brands TAGG and Defy continue to grow as well.
Samsung grew 295% YoY in Q2 2022. The Galaxy Watch 4 continued to be its top-selling model thanks to frequent promotional offers.
Dizo remained flat QoQ taking the fifth spot. Dizo Watch 2 Sports was the top model for the brand for the quarter. The brand also launched the offline-only Watch 2 Sports-i during the quarter.
Titan along with its sub-brand Fastrack was 6^th with 2% market share. It leveraged its existing brand value and wide distribution network across the nation.
realme grew 76% YoY this quarter and took the 7^th It also launched its first smartwatch with Bluetooth calling, the Watch R100. The brand maintained its presence almost equally across channels.
Apple registered 197% growth in Q2 2022. The Watch Series 7 continued to be its best seller and has reached to almost 250k shipments till the end of the quarter in India. With upcoming launches in Q3 2022, Apple is expected to gain further market share.
Pebble grew 267% in Q2 2022. It was acquired by Mensa Brands during the quarter with the aim to expand its distribution and further accelerate its growth.
OnePlus maintained its first position in the INR 10,000-INR 15,000 ($125-$190) retail price band due to the popularity of the OnePlus Watch.

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:

Anshika Jain

Harshit Rastogi

Counterpoint Research
press(at)counterpointresearch.com

India Smartwatch Market Grows 173% YoY in Q1 2022; Noise Leads, Fire-Boltt Takes Second Spot for First Time

Noise led the market in Q1 2022 (January-March) with a 23% share.
Fire-Boltt took the second spot for the first time with a 21% share.
boAt captured the third spot with 18% share and 106% YoY growth.
Dizo entered the top five for the first time.
More than 10 brands entered this market in Q1 2022, including Defy, Fastrack, Truke and Reebok.
The INR 1,000-INR 2,000 ($13-$27) retail price band reached its highest ever share of 14%.

New Delhi, Boston, Toronto, London, Hong Kong, Beijing, Taipei, Seoul – May 5, 2022

India’s smartwatch market grew 173% YoY in Q1 2022 (January-March), according to the latest research from Counterpoint’s IoT Service. This is attributed to growing consumer interest, multiple launches during the quarter and the availability of various discount offers and promotions.

Commenting on the market trends, Senior Research Analyst Anshika Jain said, “The contribution of the <INR 5,000 ($67) retail price band increased to 87% from 78% in Q1 2021. The INR 1,000-INR 2,000 ($13-$27) retail price band reached its highest ever share of 14% from just 2% a year ago. Many brands have started to focus on this low price tier to attract first-time users and acquire the smart band user base. Consumer awareness has also increased in this segment due to brands’ continuous efforts on marketing and promotions through online and offline channels.”

On brands, Jain said, “The top three brands captured 60% share in Q1 2022. Noise led the overall smartwatch market driven by its value-for-money offerings, the addition of relevant features to its product portfolio and emphasis on the Make-in-India scheme. Fire-Boltt emerged as the second-largest player for the first time due to its focus on affordability and the introduction of feature-packed products. Fire-Boltt has a good offline presence and targets multiple smartwatch segments like fashion, lifestyle, fitness and luxury. boAt captured the third spot. It also refreshed its portfolio in Q1 2022 with five new models.”

Commenting on product features, Research Analyst Harshit Rastogi said, “The brands are pushing larger displays, which consumers are readily accepting. By pushing larger displays, the brands are also attracting smart band users as these bands have limited functionality due to smaller displays. The contribution of the >1.5-inch smartwatches increased to more than half of the total smartwatch market from just 11% last year. In addition, some of the most demanded features like SpO2 are now present at all price levels. Blood pressure monitoring as well as voice assistant are trickling down to lower price bands to attract budget-conscious customers.”

On domestic manufacturing, Rastogi said, “Multiple brands have already started domestic manufacturing. We could see a major jump in the contribution of domestically manufactured devices in the second half of 2022, especially from brands like Noise, boAt and realme.”

Source: Counterpoint’s India Smartwatch Shipments Model Tracker, Q1 2022
Note: boAt’s share includes Tagg’s and Defy’s Share

Market Summary

Noise shipments doubled YoY in Q1 2022 due to the good performance of its newly introduced devices. The Colorfit Pulse became the best-selling model for the brand.
Fire-Boltt took the second position for the first time with a 21% share. It had multiple launches this quarter with the Ninja Pro Max being its most popular device. Further, 57% of its watches come with the Bluetooth calling function.
boAt registered 106% YoY growth and captured the third position. The Xtend and Storm models captured almost two-thirds of its total portfolio. boAt launched the Wave Pro 47, its first made-in-India smartwatch, in this quarter.
Dizo captured a spot in the top five for the first time. The company introduced OLED display with its recently launched model Watch R. The brand also expanded its offline presence this quarter.
Samsung grew 78% YoY in Q1 2022. The Galaxy Watch 4 series had the highest contribution here and higher shipments this quarter owing to promotional offers along with the Galaxy S22 Ultra smartphone.
realme had 3% share in Q1 2022. The brand introduced its new Smartwatch S100, which was its major volume driver. We expect to see a portfolio refresh soon and a rise in shipments in the coming future. It is a well-established brand in both offline and online channels.
Apple grew 104% YoY in Q1 2022 with its series 7 variants contributing two-thirds of the shipments. It continued to lead the premium segment (>INR 30,000, >$400) with over 87% share.
Amazfit declined 35% YoY in Q1 2022. The GTS 2 Mini contributed over 30% of its shipments. With the newer GTS Mini 2, we expect it to gain back some of its market share in the coming quarter.
Zebronics managed to maintain a position in the top ten. The company launched several affordable models on various online and offline platforms.
OnePlus took the first spot in the INR 10,000-INR 15,000 ($133-$200) retail price band with around 45% share.
Xiaomi registered a strong growth of 238% QoQ in Q1 2022. Its newly introduced model Redmi Watch 2 Lite is performing well in the market.

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:

Anshika Jain

Harshit Rastogi

Counterpoint Research
press(at)counterpointresearch.com

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Insights Tag: Noise

India Smartwatch Market’s 121% YoY Growth Restricts Global Decline to 1.5% in Q1 2023

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