{"id":354674,"date":"2025-05-09T13:55:07","date_gmt":"2025-05-09T08:25:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.technologyforyou.org\/?p=354674"},"modified":"2025-05-09T13:55:07","modified_gmt":"2025-05-09T08:25:07","slug":"india-tws-shipments-rise-4-yoy-in-q1-2025-consumers-prioritize-value-over-price","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.technologyforyou.org\/india-tws-shipments-rise-4-yoy-in-q1-2025-consumers-prioritize-value-over-price\/","title":{"rendered":"India TWS Shipments Rise 4% YoY in Q1 2025; Consumers Prioritize Value Over Price"},"content":{"rendered":"<ul>\n<li><strong><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><i>India&#8217;s TWS market grew 4% YoY in Q1 2025, with boAt marking its 14th consecutive quarter as the leader.<\/i><\/span><\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><i>Boult emerged as the fastest-growing brand among the top 5 in Q1 2025, achieving 46% YoY growth due to its portfolio refresh and vibrant, youth-centric brand appeal.<\/i><\/span><\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><i>The premium market (&gt;INR 5,000) grew more than 1.4x, driven by Apple, Noise and Samsung.<\/i><\/span><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"EN-IN\">India\u2019s <\/span><span dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"EN-IN\">TWS market<\/span><span dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"EN-IN\"> shipments increased 4% YoY in Q1 2025,<\/span><span dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"EN-IN\"> according to the latest research from <\/span><span dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"EN-IN\">Counterpoint\u2019s Consumer IoT service<\/span><span dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"EN-IN\">. Consumer sentiment toward the category remains resilient, with early signs of premiumization emerging as buyers show increased interest in higher-end features and elevated audio experiences. Brands are now prioritizing mid-tier expansion, strengthening offline channels, leveraging strategic partnerships, and capitalizing on <\/span><span dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"EN-IN\">Make-in-India<\/span><span dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"EN-IN\"> initiatives to enhance competitiveness. Simultaneously, the market is going through an inventory correction phase, and brands are adjusting their channel strategies to align with evolving consumer demand.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"EN-IN\">Commenting on the market dynamics, <strong>Senior Research Analyst <\/strong><\/span><span dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"EN-IN\"><strong>Anshika Jain<\/strong><\/span><span dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"EN-IN\"> said, \u201cIndian TWS consumers are evolving, prioritizing value and features over a strictly price-driven mindset. Even in the budget segment, users expect a well-rounded experience encompassing sound quality, desired fit, ANC feature, low-latency performance, and reliable battery life. It reflects a broader shift from price-first to value-first thinking. The <\/span><span dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"EN-IN\">premium market<\/span> <i><span dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"EN-IN\">(&gt;INR 5,000) <\/span><\/i><span dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"EN-IN\">showcased more than 1.4x growth in Q1 2025, demonstrating shifting consumer preferences. Brands are also reviving their strategies and pushing early-stage <\/span><span dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"EN-IN\">AI features<\/span><span dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"EN-IN\">, exploring new form factors and leveraging strategic partnerships to scale further and enhance their visibility in the market.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"EN-IN\"><strong>Jain<\/strong> added, \u201cIndia\u2019s TWS earbuds market is set to grow 7% YoY in 2025, with increasing use cases and premiumization steering the shift. Interestingly, offline retail is starting to play a bigger role, where consumers want to test audio quality or fit before purchasing, and their confidence and likelihood to upgrade significantly increases. Consumers are now actively <\/span><span dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"EN-IN\">seeking richer features<\/span><span dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"EN-IN\"> like ANC, AI enhancements, and spatial audio, even in mid-range price bands, signalling a clear move beyond affordability toward quality and experience. This signals that while headline growth may appear flat, underlying consumer behaviour is evolving. Brands that successfully align with evolving expectations while maintaining accessibility will be well-positioned to drive the next phase of India\u2019s <\/span><span dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"EN-IN\">TWS market expansion<\/span><span dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"EN-IN\">.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"EN-IN\">In Q1 2025, <\/span><span dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"EN-IN\">Indian brands<\/span><span dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"EN-IN\"> experienced a decline in market share, losing ground to both <\/span><span dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"EN-IN\">Chinese and global players<\/span><span dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"EN-IN\">. Chinese brands captured 15% of the market, a 31% YoY increase, largely driven by the strong performance of realme, alongside contributions from OnePlus and Xiaomi. Meanwhile, <\/span><span dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"EN-IN\">global brands<\/span><span dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"EN-IN\"> achieved 2x YoY growth, propelled by brands like JBL, <\/span><span dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"EN-IN\">Apple<\/span><span dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"EN-IN\">, CMF, and Samsung.<\/span><\/p>\n<figure class=\"image image_resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/www.counterpointresearch.com\/_File\/ckeditor\/20255123215_52jCB_editor_image.png\" width=\"662\" height=\"371\" \/><\/figure>\n<p><span dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"EN-IN\">Source: India Hearables (TWS) Shipments, Model Tracker, May 2025<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"EN-IN\"><strong>Market Summary, Q1 2025<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"EN-IN\"><strong>boAt\u2019s<\/strong><\/span><span dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"EN-IN\"> shipments declined 11% YoY in Q1 2025 amid intensifying competition in the affordable and entry-level segments. Despite this, it retained the top spot for the 14th consecutive year<\/span><span dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"EN-IN\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"EN-IN\"><strong>Boult Audio<\/strong><\/span><span dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"EN-IN\"> secured the second position for the second consecutive year, with its market share rising 46% YoY to reach 17%. This momentum was fuelled by distinctive branding, affordable yet feature-rich TWS products, a strong offline strategy, and diversification into <\/span><span dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"EN-IN\">wearables<\/span><span dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"EN-IN\">, reinforcing brand recall.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"EN-IN\"><strong>Noise<\/strong><\/span><span dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"EN-IN\"> secured third place with a 12% market share, though its growth stabilized at 5% YoY amid market saturation and intensifying competition. The brand is pivoting toward premium offerings, exemplified by its collaboration with Bose.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"EN-US\"><strong>r<\/strong><\/span><span dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"EN-IN\"><strong>ealme<\/strong><\/span><span dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"EN-IN\"> remains one of India\u2019s top five TWS brands, holding 6% market share, driven by its value-for-money offerings, which continue to attract aspirational buyers in an evolving, value-driven market.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"EN-IN\"><strong>OnePlus<\/strong><\/span><span dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"EN-IN\"> recorded 30% YoY growth, securing fifth place in the rankings while leading the INR 3,000-INR 5,000 price band. The brand diversified its portfolio across price ranges. It strengthened its foothold in India\u2019s TWS market with feature-rich, budget-friendly models like the Nord Buds 2r, catering to multiple consumer segments.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"EN-IN\"><strong>Online Channel<\/strong><\/span><span dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"EN-IN\"> accounted for about 76% of the total TWS segment in Q1 2025. Meanwhile, <\/span><span dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"EN-IN\">quick commerce<\/span><span dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"EN-IN\"> is gradually gaining traction, presenting new opportunities for faster consumer adoption.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"EN-IN\"><strong>Almost three-fifth of the TWS devices <\/strong>were assembled locally. As demand for premium and AI-powered earbuds rises, manufacturers will need to scale operations, improve local component quality, and deepen <\/span><span dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"EN-IN\">R&amp;D investments to maintain growth momentum<\/span><span dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"EN-IN\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"EN-IN\">The <strong>premium TWS market (&gt;INR 5,000) <\/strong>holds a 4% share, led by Apple, Noise, and Samsung. Urban consumers increasingly seek advanced features like Hi-Res audio and ANC. Meanwhile, for mass users, these products are still aspirational. The INR 5,000-INR 10,000 range offers strong potential by balancing performance, trust, and aspirational value.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>India&#8217;s TWS market grew 4% YoY in Q1 2025, with boAt marking its 14th consecutive quarter as the leader. Boult emerged as the fastest-growing brand among the top 5 in Q1 2025, achieving 46% YoY growth due to its portfolio refresh and vibrant, youth-centric brand appeal. The premium market (&gt;INR 5,000) grew more than 1.4x, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":278259,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-354674","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-gadgets-and-apps"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.technologyforyou.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/354674","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.technologyforyou.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.technologyforyou.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.technologyforyou.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.technologyforyou.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=354674"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.technologyforyou.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/354674\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.technologyforyou.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/278259"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.technologyforyou.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=354674"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.technologyforyou.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=354674"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.technologyforyou.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=354674"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}