- boAt captured the top spot for the sixth consecutive quarter. It was followed by realme and Noise.
- Noise was the fastest-growing major brand in Q4 2021.
- Homegrown TWS brands captured over two-thirds of the market’s total shipments in 2021.
- The market demand shifted towards lower-priced products, driving the ASP down 24% YoY in 2021.
- Almost eight out of ten models were sold online in 2021 with Flipkart dominating the channels.
- Multiple new entrants, made-in-India devices, advanced features at low price points and increased partnerships with ODMs were the major spotlights of the year.
India’s TWS market witnessed 60% YoY growth in shipment volumes in 2021 to reach the record number of 21 million, according to the latest research from Counterpoint’s IoT service. Throughout the year, we saw brands adopting influencer marketing strategies to expand their reach, integrating premium features at low price-point, offering introductory pricing schemes, and running multiple sale events throughout the year, which helped fuel the TWS segment’s growth in India.
Commenting on TWS device features, Senior Research Analyst Anshika Jain said, “The TWS market is evolving rapidly with brands introducing differentiated specifications. Premium features such as ANC (Active Noise Cancellation) can now be seen in the low-end segment as well, but the ANC quality may vary. realme was the first brand to offer this feature in the mid-price segment (INR 2,000-INR 5,000). Following this, brands like pTron, Noise, Dizo and boAt also started offering ANC-enabled devices in the same segment. Going forward, brands are expected to explore more in terms of innovation, particularly adding health-related features and transparency mode to help enhance the user experience.”
Discussing the made-in-India TWS products, Jain said, “The domestic manufacturing of TWS devices is in its nascent stage. But this percentage is likely to increase further driven by increased partnerships with EMS (electronic manufacturing services) providers and benefits available under the Make-In-India scheme. boAt started offering made-in-India devices towards the second half of 2021 while brands like Mivi have their entire TWS portfolios manufactured domestically. Besides, PTron and Ambrane are making their devices locally.”
Talking about the premium TWS market, Senior Research Analyst Liz Lee said, “India’s TWS market saw a healthy 20% YoY growth in the premium segment (>INR 5,000). Apple led this segment in 2021, followed by Samsung and JBL. Most of the volume here was driven by the Airpods Gen 2 model due to its price being lowered ahead of the launch of the Airpods Gen 3 model. Samsung also offered new models – Galaxy Buds 2 and Galaxy Buds Pro – to enhance its competitiveness in the premium segment.”
“New entrant Nothing also made a mark in the top five list of premium brands with its strong value proposition. Besides this, OnePlus leveraged its brand image and smartphone user base to expand its position in the high-end segment with the launch of OnePlus Buds Pro,” she added.
- boAt maintained its leadership with more than 2.5x YoY growth. Its tremendous growth was based on its loyal customer base, value-for-money offerings and integrated marketing strategies. The Airdopes 131 was the best-selling device in the overall TWS market in 2021.
- realme took the second spot with a 7% share. The brand pushed the inventory for its bestseller devices Buds Air 2 and Buds Q during realme Festive Days. In 2021, the brand also introduced the Buds Q2 Neo model in the budget segment (< INR 2,000) and later on offered discounts during the festive period, helping the brand drive volumes.
- Noise offered a good number of alternatives to the customers and also slightly shifted its product base towards the lower price band of INR 1,000-INR 2,000 for the first time in 2021. The domestic brand grew 131% YoY, offering the maximum number of new launches across price tiers in 2021.
- OnePlus took the fourth spot with a nearly 6% share. The brand’s growth is largely attributed to the impressive performance of its Buds Z model, multiple sale events, and the growing smartphone user base. It also expanded into the premium segment this year with the launch of the Buds Pro model.
- pTron, the first brand to offer a made-in-India TWS device and mainly active in the entry-level price band, managed to grab a position in the top five list. PTron also offered a low-price ANC model – Bassbuds Ultima – to stand out in the competition. The brand also actively participated in sale events and offered the maximum number of launches after Noise.
- India’s TWS market grew 39% YoY in Q4 2021 owing to the festive season sale events and channel exclusive releases.
- Chinese and other global brands recorded a drop in their share while homegrown TWS brands’ shipments doubled YoY in Q4 2021, with boAt, Noise, Boult Audio and pTron being the main drivers.
- Top player boAt recorded its highest ever shipments in Q4 2021 with the boAt Airdopes 131 being the best-selling device.
- Noise took the second spot with an 8% share. It was the fastest-growing brand with 339% YoY growth. The Noise Airbuds Mini was the best-performing model in its portfolio.
- Boult Audio managed to find a slot in the top three list due to its diverse offerings catering to the needs of the Indian consumers, including their spending behaviour.
- Beyond the top three brands, other emerging brands which are gaining traction with their portfolio strategy and channel partnerships include realme, pTron, Truke, Mivi, Apple, OnePlus and OPPO.
- India’s TWS market opened Q4 2021 with festive season sale events. Brands not only pushed their inventory of old models but also offered discounts on their new launches.
