Importing earphones or headphones? Go with smart, wireless

Intelligent and "connected" audio accessories are expected to become more popular and dominate the market soon.

When sourcing earphones and headphones, smart and wireless are the trendy versions to stock up on. According to industry intelligence report provider ReportBuyer, the said types of earphones and headphones will outpace wired and non-smart variants in terms of market share in the coming years.

The report further states that innovations and the good reception by early adopters are among the keys to why the global earphones and headphones market will rise by an estimated CAGR of 7.31 percent from 2017 to 2023. Market value at the end of the forecast period is said to top $20 billion.

Indeed, developments in earphones and headphones have been very interesting for many. From the past two years and until now, the industry has witnessed the boom of and continues to be amazed by wireless earbuds bundled with charging cases, a trend sparked by the release of Apple's AirPods. Another big breakthrough is voice assistants' "invasion" on earphones and headphones. In addition, products are getting better in terms of sound quality.

Suppliers are making it easier for importers to keep their selections on-trend by offering lots of new and cool options for "connected" wireless earbuds. Many of those earbuds have next-gen features like auto-start or -end call and -charging when picked from or put back on the case. Other earphones and headphones from makers integrate the leading AI assistants, including Alexa and Siri, for convenient voice control.

While these products are likely to appeal the most with tech-savvy, social and young consumers, importers focusing on the fitness segment can also expect a growing demand for those smart and wireless earphones and headphones that go almost handsfree and make multitasking during workouts a breeze. ReportBuyer's forecast sees an increase in fitness-aware consumers.

Earphones and headphones that boast improved noise-cancelling features, meanwhile, are expected to be in-demand in developed countries, like in theMEA region, where audiophiles are also on the rise.