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Affordable true wireless (TWS) earbuds have outsold their premium counterparts by a long distance in the first half of 2023. In fact, you have brands like Noise, Boat with their $50 (Rs 4,000 approx) earbuds carrying this product category on its shoulders.

The budget TWS earbuds have their drawbacks but when you put their pricing into context, millions are happy to save money on the bigger brands like Samsung, Sony and Apple. The affordable earbuds segment has seen a 15 percent growth this year compared to 2022, as highlighted in an industry report by Counterpoint Research.

It is interesting to see budget brands thrive but hardly surprising when you consider the low risk value in buying TWS earbuds for under Rs 3,000. Having said that, we didn’t see major product launches from the big brands in the first half of 2023.

But that has changed now, which could have a dramatic effect on how buyers view the premium segment (Rs 12,000 and above) and whether they wish to upgrade to the latest Sony, Samsung or even Google TWS earbuds.

When you look at the picture in India for the TWS earbuds brands, you notice that most of them sell products for well below Rs 3,000 which has enough appeal for the buyers, purely because they have the aspirations to use the device and now they are available within their budget. The buyers of the premium TWS earbuds already have their preferences, so moving them to other brands is a lot tougher.

The budget consumers are more open to experimenting which is helped by various sale offers that you get online, giving them a chance to use these earbuds without spending big. People also realise that newer brands have more to offer, not only in terms of their prices but features like active noise cancellation, which helps them sell out quicker.