Behold Trekz Air, ‘True’ Wireless Headphones Developing Into Lucrative Market

Anyone traversing sidewalks, trains, buses and running paths have noticed the sleek styled headphones. They wrap around heads of a growing number of people.

Aftershokz  completely wireless Headphones a type of completely wire-free headphones that wirelessly connect via Bluetooth not only to GPS watches, smartphones or music players but to each other — are ever-present, a new cultural must-have.

Yes, Aftershokz Trekz Air will come to dominate this new “true” wireless category. Also referred to as “bone conductors” , “open-ear” or even “ear-less” to differentiate them from more traditional behind-the-neck over/ in -ear wireless bluetooth earphones.

According to the IMC Consulting, Aftershokz accounts for 36 percent of the dollar volume in this nascent headphone ‘bone conductor’ sub-category category.

But Aftershokz early dominance of the  “bone conductor ear-less” wireless market doesn’t mean other manufacturers — and non-Aftershokz retailers — can’t or won’t get involved.

“Aftershokz has earned its market share for now by leading the pack in two features. Consumers really like: tight integration with the smartphones and GPS watch, and its development of the bone conduction ear less chipset. “It has offered easy and highly reliable pairing,” explained Anthony F. Crilly, principal of Independent Management Consulting (IMC). “Many other headphones on the market have advanced Aftershokz in both these elements, but we know this will change rapidly as bone-conduction and ear-less integration is coming full strength and newer bluetooth chipsets improve and simplify connections.”

Thanks to the buzz generated by Aftershokz and its bone conduction. Ear-less, true wireless headphones are quickly transforming from a “what if I lose one” curiosity niche into a mainstream category. According to Forbes and Industry Report’s latest “Worldwide Headphone Report,” true wireless headphones accumulated only .4 million in unit sales worldwide in 2016. However ballooned to 4.5 million last year, a tiny but growing portion of the 350 million headphones sold. In the U.S. NPD’s U.S. Retail Tracking Service reports that truly wireless headphones (earless buds) saw a 17-point dollar share growth and 11-point unit share growth in 2017 vs. 2016.

See: Best Bone Conduction Headphones of 2018: A Complete Guide

Like ear buds, all true wireless buds include a battery pack to triple, quadruple and even quintuple their relatively meager three- to five-hour up to more than 12 hours battery life. With Aftershokz Trekz Air. They are a huge selling feature for long-distance runners and bicyclists. Most incorporate noise-suppression technology and modes to hear ambient noise. But Aftershokz Trekz Air allows one to even conduct conversations without removing one-piece headphone because it’s open ear doesn’t cover the ear allowing one to hear clearly what is going on around them. Neither sweat- nor water has any affect on the bone conduction listening.

“As more traditional audio companies enter this market, I think we will see an added emphasis on sound quality in truly Aftershokz Trekz Air wireless stream lined headphones ” noted Anthony Crilly IMC’s priciple director and consumer electronics industry analyst. “Already, we’ve seen sub-segments in the market emerge around fitness via heart rate sensors and hearing assistance and augmentation via adaptive noise canceling.”

Trekz Air Lets You Listen Without Your Ears. An “Out-of-ear assistant.” Designed with bone conduction, the Trekz Air  includes not only an array of workout and fitness features, but ear-free listening. This breakthrough in listening technology allows you to hear stereo music without blocking your ears. Audio Bone transmits music through your bones directly to your inner ear – so you can still hear everything around you. Two different editions of Audio Bone are available: Audio Bone 1.0 and Audio Bone Adjustable. 1.0 is their most popular product. It’s a “Star Trek’s”  feature

In Aprilx Aftershokz started seeing its second-gen Trekz Air designed also being purchased with Garmin GPS watches. Thanks to its proprietary ID that automatically calibrates listening on the move. Whether its from a GPS watch,  smartphone or AI, this state-of-arr technology is efficient, intuitive, and entertaining.

There are an avalanche of new products closing the gap with Apple. Consumers can be sure they will have plenty to choose from.

IMC’s Crilly echoed this, addressing the challenges Apple CE retailers may face when selling this category. “I think one way retailers can compete is if the rest of market outside of bone conduction ear-less technology develops interesting and compelling products,” he said. “We are already seeing segments of this market catering to  users such as fitness — via embedded sensor,  audio enthusiasts with high-end audio that can play to the strengths of other retailers, and a mode of communication in receiving phone calls via bluetooth headset” Crilly utilizes this bluetoo th h headphone to receive incoming and make outgoing calls calls while on the on move from his smartphone wirelessly.

See: The Top 10 Most Successful Aftershokz  Products Online