Hearables Market Outlook - 2026
The Global Hearables Market size was valued at $21.20 billion in 2018, and is projected to reach $93.90 billion by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 17.2% from 2019 to 2026.
Hearable technology is referred to as hybrid technology, which combines the advantage of wearable technology with hearing devices. These devices are used for sound applications, audio masking, directional hearing, audio analysis, noise cancellation, and other applications in various industry verticals. Hearable devices in different industrial applications are now enabled with built-in voice-enabled virtual assistant and wireless communication features.
Furthermore, hearables are featured with biometric, proximity, movement, and other sensors that enable to collect context about the users. These smart headsets also improve listening experience of user. In industrial areas, hearables are also useful for short range and long range inter team communication. These wireless earbuds are interconnected via wireless connectivity technologies such as Bluetooth earbuds, Wi-Fi, cellular network, digital enhanced cordless telecommunication (DECT), and others.
The increase in demand for wireless headphones and infotainment devices is majorly contributing to the hearables market growth, owing to shift in preference of consumers from wired headphones to wireless headphones, as wireless earbuds and headphones are enabled with Bluetooth and Wi-Fi technology, which enable the users to link their phones to other devices and headsets.
In addition, hearable computing is the next emerging technology, which promotes hands-free calling and communication, ensures voice communication in a noisy environment, and provides a solution by combining signals from in-ear and external microphones. Furthermore, surge in demand for miniaturized wearable electronic devices for health monitoring is also driving the market growth. However, adverse effect on the hearing ability due to overuse of headphones and high cost of industrial hearables can hinder the market growth.
Nonetheless, growing focus toward adoption of hearing devices to prevent hearing loss in industrial applications is expected to provide growth opportunities to the market players, as government organizations and major companies operating in the hearable devices market are now striving toward the development of hearable devices to eliminate hearing damage among workers by providing suitable protection in the form of headsets and other devices to cover their ears and enable noise cancellation.
Segment Overview:
The global hearables market trends are analyzed across various segments including product, type, communication technology, end user, and region. On the basis of products, the market is categorized into headsets earbuds, and hearing aids. Depending on the type, the market is sub-segmented into on ear, in ear, and over ear.
By Type
Over Ear would exhibit the highest CAGR of 19.90% during 2019-2026.
The communication technology segment is bifurcated into wired and wireless technology, among which the wireless technology segment is further categorized into Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, DECT, and others. Based on end user, the market is categorized into consumer, industrial, and healthcare.
By End User
Industrial would exhibit the highest CAGR of 34.20% during 2019-2026.
The regional segmentation of the market includes North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and LAMEA. The LAMEA hearables market is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. Asia-Pacific is expected to be the leading the global hearables market, followed by Europe and North America.
By Region
LAMEA would exhibit the highest CAGR of 21.00% during 2019-2026.
Top Impacting Factors:
The significant impacting factors in the hearable market include increase in demand for wireless headphones and infotainment devices, emerging hearable computing, and rapid technological advancements in voice user interface, surge in demand for miniaturized wearable electronic devices for health monitoring.
However adverse effect on the hearing ability due to overuse of headphones and high cost of industrial hearables are hampering the market growth globally. Conversely, growing focus toward adoption of hearing devices to prevent hearing loss in industrial applications are projected to offer remunerative opportunities to the market. Each of these factors is anticipated to have a definite impact on the hearables market during the forecast period.
Some Major Factors Impacting the Market Growth are Given Below:
Increase in Demand for Wireless Headphones and infotainment Devices
Headphones have evolved and witnessed vast improvements in terms of technology over the years. Shift in preference of consumers from wired headphones to wireless headphones is expected to affect the market significantly. Wireless communication via Bluetooth earbuds technology has been a breakthrough for headphones. This is attributed to the fact that wireless headphones are enabled with Bluetooth and Wi-Fi technology, which enable the users to link their phones to other devices and headsets.
The sale of electronic infotainment devices such as mobile phones, laptops, vehicle infotainment device, digital music systems, digital TV, and others, is growing at a high rate, and headphones are major accessories for these devices. Smart headsets offer multiple benefits, including convenience; high-definition sound quality; multiple user facility; and freedom from wire maintenance, portability, and mobility. Thus, increase in use of infotainment devices is one of the factors driving the growth of the hearable market.
Emerging Hearable Computing and Rapid Technological Advancements in Voice User Interface
Hearable computing is referred to as the next emerging technology in the coming years. It is a genre of wearable computing and is expected to be the ultimate human user interface. It promotes hands-free calling and communication. In addition, it ensures voice communication in a noisy environment and provides a solution by combining signals from in-ear and external microphones.
Furthermore, it guarantees optimal voice enhancements in a wide range of hearable devices in various industrial purposes. Also, increase in advancements in technology is anticipated to provide lucrative opportunities for the hearables market.
Implementation of technologies such as Bluetooth/NFC speakers, Wi-Fi, noise cancelling technology, language translation, fitness & heart rate tracking, voice-based personal assistants, contextual location-based suggestions, environment-based noise suppression or audio enhancement, and gesture & touch-based control, have led to increase in adoption of smart headphone across domestic and commercial sectors. Thus, all these factors of emerging hearable computing in hearable devices assist in boosting the market growth.
Surge in Demand for Miniaturized Wearable Electronic Devices for Health Monitoring
Rapid advancements in the trend of wearable health devices in the consumer market has majorly impacted the growth of hearable market. Consumers are investing in smart hearables to monitor health status and prevent from the treat of hearing loss in extreme noise conditions.
Furthermore, the revolution of technology in the miniaturization of electronic devices is allowing to design more reliable & portable wearables and contributing to the continuously changing health monitoring tactic. Also, these devices allow to continuously monitor human vital sign during the daily life or in clinical environment with benefits of minimizing discomfort and interference with normal human actions. All these factors of emerging wearable health devices assist in boosting the market growth.
Competitive Analysis:
The key players profiled in the report include Apple, Inc, Bose Corporation, BRAGI GmbH, Koninklijke Philips N.V., Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., Sony Corporation, Sennheiser Electronic GMBH & Co., KG, Skullcandy, Inc, Jabra (GN Store Nord A/S), and LG Electronics. These key players have adopted strategies, such as product portfolio expansion, acquisitions, agreements, partnership, and collaborations to enhance their position in hearable market.
Key Benefits for Stakeholders:
- This study comprises analytical depiction of the global hearables market size along with the current trends and future estimations to depict the imminent investment pockets.
- The overall hearables market analysis is determined to understand the profitable trends to gain a stronger foothold.
- The report presents information related to key drivers, restraints, and opportunities with a detailed impact analysis.
- The current hearables market forecast is quantitatively analyzed from 2019 to 2026 to benchmark the financial competency.
- Porter’s five forces analysis illustrates the potency of the buyers and suppliers in the hearables industry.
- The report includes the hearables market share of key vendors and market trends.
Hearables Market Report Highlights
| Aspects | Details |
 By Product |
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 By Type |
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 By Connectivity Technology |
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 By End User |
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 By Region |
|
 Key Market Players | SKULLCANDY, INC., SENNHEISER ELECTRONIC GmbH & CO. KG, BOSE CORPORATION, KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V., SONY CORPORATION, SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO. LTD., APPLE INC., BRAGI GmbH, JABRA (GN STORE NORD A/S), LG ELECTRONICS |
Analyst Review
The hearables market is projected to depict a prominent growth during the forecast period, owing to various factors, such as increase in demand for wireless headphones and infotainment devices, emerging hearable computing and rapid technological advancements in voice user interface, and surge in demand for miniaturized wearable electronic devices for health monitoring. Hearable devices in different industrial applications are now enabled with built-in voice-enabled virtual assistant and wireless communication features. In addition, these devices ensure hearing aids among users in noisy working environments in an industry or enterprise. Furthermore, hearables are featured with biometric, proximity, movement, and other sensors that enable to collect context about user. Moreover, rise in focus toward adoption of hearing devices to prevent hearing loss is expected to provide growth opportunities to the market players.
Europe is the second highest revenue contributor to the global hearables market, after Asia-Pacific. The market growth is attributed to factors such as rise in demand for smart devices and increase in purchasing power of the people across the region.
Key players in the hearables market are Apple, Inc, Bose Corporation, BRAGI GmbH, Koninklijke Philips N.V., Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., Sony Corporation, Sennheiser Electronic GMBH & Co., KG, Skullcandy, Inc, Jabra (GN Store Nord A/S), and LG Electronics. These key players have adopted strategies, such as product portfolio expansion, acquisitions, agreements, partnership, and collaborations to enhance their position in hearables market.
The Global Hearables Market is expected to grow at CAGR of 17.2% from 2019 to 2026.
The Global Hearables Market size is excepted to reach $93,853.8 million by 2026
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Increase in demand for wireless headphones and infotainment devices, emerging hearable computing and rapid technological advancements in voice user interface, and surge in demand for miniaturized wearable electronic devices for health monitoring are some of the major factors driving the growth of hearables market.
The key players operating in the market include Apple, Inc, Bose Corporation, BRAGI GmbH, Koninklijke Philips N.V., Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., Sony Corporation, Sennheiser Electronic GMBH & Co., KG, Skullcandy, Inc, Jabra (GN Store Nord A/S), and LG Electronics
On the basis of top growing big corporations, we select top 10 players.
The global hearable market is segmented by product, type, communication technology, and end user
The key growth strategies of hearables market players include product launch, partnership, acquisition, expansion, product enhancement, and collaboration.
On the basis of type, the on ear segment generated highest revenue in 2018.
The consumer segment is anticiapted to witness lucrative growth in the hearables market during forecast period.
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