The Retail Observer is an industry leading magazine for INDEPENDENT RETAILERS in Major Appliances, Consumer Electronics and Home Furnishings
Issue link: http://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/829998
RETAILOBSERVER.COM JUNE 2017 50 W hen Bluetooth was designed in the early 1990s, inventor Ericsson conceived it as a wireless alternative to RS-232 data cables. Now, it is a household name and can be found in most any electronics product you can think of, from your car to your phone to your portable speakers. And as with any technology, certain applications of Bluetooth can be a bit gimmicky (witness the light bulb that doubles as a speaker). However, consumers love it and don't show any signs of stopping. The Bluetooth speaker category is extremely healthy and growing stronger every day. In fact, combined with the headphone boom, Bluetooth speakers are giving audio the spotlight that things like high-definition and now Ultra HD video has dominated for so long. Years ago, specialty retailers and custom installers would have cringed at the thought of Bluetooth sound as a substitute for wired speakers. And while some still do, they can't afford to think that way. A report by technavio says that the global market for Bluetooth speakers will grow profoundly at a compound annual growth rate of almost 33% by 2020, which is in large part due to portability, ease of use, and affordability. The transition to Bluetooth headphones has been a bit slower, but, according to the Consumer Technology Association's Consumer Technology Extended Forecasts 2015-2020 from January 2017, 63% of U.S. households have headphones and 37% of those are Bluetooth! And these wireless headphones are here to stay. The CTA also forecast a 500% growth rate in wireless headphones from 2015 to 2018. Of course, Apple's removal of the headphone jack on the iPhone 7 was a bold move that forced consumers to get with the wireless headphone program, so that's only speeding things up and adding fuel to Bluetooth's fire. Additionally, pairing a Bluetooth headphone or speaker with your smartphone is now easier than ever. Even your grandmother can do it without reading instructions! The good news for those specialty retailers and integrators who resisted the idea of Bluetooth audio as the main audio source in the smart home of today, is that the audio quality is also getting better and better. Listeners are satisfied and even happy with the high-quality sound output for the dollar. Technology, like aptX for example, offers consumers higher performance wireless sound that rivals that of wired. But not everyone wants to carry a speaker from room to room as they listen to music. That's why for true whole-house audio, manufacturers need to now focus on improving the Bluetooth range. One thing is certain, Bluetooth is here to stay. It's important that the specialty electronic retailer not only embrace this technology but actively market it to the customer. It's really an easy sell, actually, because the technology is easy to use, sounds great, and gives listeners a simple way to listen to the music they invest so much time in curating and enjoying. Advancements being made by manufacturers, many of them members of ProSource, will prove to further the Bluetooth category even further. We are excited for this increasingly wireless future! Dave Workman Consumer Electronic Trends Dave Workman is CEO of ProSource Buying Group. RO BLUETOOTH BOOM! Audio experiences a renaissance as Bluetooth takes over