Stay-at-Home Practices Likely to Boost Sales of Headphones, Says Parks

Consumer purchase intentions for loudspeakers and headphones were flat before COVID-19, and demand will likely spike due to work-at-home and entertainment-in-place practices, Parks Associates reported Tuesday. Parks before the pandemic found U.S. broadband household penetration rates of 44% for speakers, 37% for headphones not bundled with a phone or music player and 33% for earbuds. Recent demand won’t diminish consumer expectations for advanced functionality, "so device manufacturers still need to prioritize app development and software enhancements,” said analyst Steve Nason. “Everyone in the household now needs their own headphones and earbuds for privacy.” Users at home want to integrate stand-alone headphones with smart speakers and other connected devices, he said.