Portable players in India is set to continue to experience growth in both retail volume and current value terms in 2024, entirely fuelled by sales of wireless speakers. Wireless speakers overwhelmingly dominates portable players, benefiting from technological advances, and new brands entering the market in the last few years, such as US-based Tivoli Audio, and Sweden-based Audio Pro, as well as evolving consumer lifestyles. The seamless connectivity, portability, and wireless capability of these

Portable players saw significant retail volume and current value growth in Brazil in 2023, and this trend is set to continue in 2024. Wireless speakers is the overwhelmingly dominant category within portable players, and also continues to drive growth, set to maintain solid retail volume growth and impressive double-digit current value growth in 2024. Volume growth remains somewhat slower due to the expanding price range in this category. Wireless speakers have become ubiquitous, used by consume

The retail volume growth rate of portable players in Germany is set to increase in 2024. This is not only due to continued steady growth for wireless speakers, which makes up the vast majority of this category, but also because e-readers is expected to experience a boom in this year.

Wireless speakers continued to drive growth in portable players in Taiwan in 2024. Compact, portable and affordable, and compatible with “on-the-go” lifestyles and other devices, wireless speakers are rapidly growing in popularity among local consumers. Wireless speakers allow consumers to experience high-quality audio through connection with their mobile phones, laptops and tablet, especially when built-in speakers are unsatisfactory. Growth in wireless speakers has also been driven by the grow

In 2024, portable players is anticipated to experience continued downturn in Japan in retail volume terms. The biggest contributor to this decline is expected to be portable multimedia players. Once, this category was buzzing with activity, thanks to popular products such as Apple’s iPod and Sony’s DAP (Digital Audio Player). However, the rise of smartphones and the transition to cloud-based music have significantly reduced the demand for these stand-alone devices. In particular, Apple’s iPod, w

Demand for portable players in Hong Kong continues to rise in 2024, albeit at a slower rate compared to the previous year following the removal of pandemic restrictions, which led to more frequent social gatherings and greater mobility outside of the home. Wireless speakers remains the driving force behind the category’s overall performance, supported by local consumers enjoying time together socialising in public spaces.

Portable players is set to see volume sales increase in Israel in 2024 driven by wireless speakers. In keeping with its results throughout the review period, the wireless speakers category is set to see volume growth in 2024. It continues to benefit from the increasing consumer preference for streaming music and other audio content via smartphones and computers. Additionally, more Israelis are now choosing to combine one or more of these devices with smart TVs and monitors to create an immersive

While overall there is expected to be volume growth for portable players in Morocco in 2024, portable media players are expected to see further volume decline. Advances in technology are rendering portable media players obsolete, notably due to smartphones and tablets offering the same functionality. This shift also reflects a broader consumer electronics trend favouring multifunctionality over single-purpose devices. This trend is driven by perceived cost-effectiveness, convenience and the desi

The ongoing popularity of wireless speakers helped to drive positive overall category performance in both volume and current value terms in Portugal in 2024. The subcategory offers a wide range of options with good sound quality at competitive prices, stimulating sales. Brands like JBL, Sony, LG Electronics and Philips are well-known for their affordable mini speakers, often available for under €50. This affordability has significantly contributed to the increased penetration of the category. Wi

Portable players is only facing a small volume slump in Italy in 2024, thanks to the success of wireless speakers which achieves small positive volume sales. While some subcategories in portable players are becoming increasingly outdated, the growing smart-connected home trends strongly support the popularity of wireless speakers such Amazon Echo (Alexa) and Google Home. Such devices enable connectivity across the home and are easy to set up and use, enabling functions such as voice control, vid

Wireless speakers is the winning category within portable players in Saudi Arabia. Streaming services and smartphones with poor audio quality are driving demand for wireless speakers. Streaming services often offer high-quality audio options, such as lossless or high-resolution formats, which can provide a superior listening experience compared to the compressed audio files used by smartphones with poor audio quality for built-in speakers. By using wireless speakers, users enjoy the improved sou

Overall demand for portable players is expected to increase in South Korea 2024, driven solely by wireless speakers, which accounts for the bulk of retail volume sales. Thess devices offer the flexibility of portable, cable-free listening, and are compatible with modern, on-the-go lifestyles.

The market for portable players in Spain is set to see modest growth in retail volume terms in 2024, driven exclusively by wireless speakers. Advancements in technology have enhanced the functionality and appeal of wireless speakers, making them an essential component of modern home audio systems. The smart home trend and the rise of music streaming services have further boosted their demand, as these speakers integrate seamlessly into connected environments. Additionally, their affordability an

In 2024, retail volume sales of portable players in Nigeria are anticipated to record positive growth. The persistent challenge with power supply in Nigeria has significantly contributed to the growth of portable players, particularly wireless speakers. The erratic electricity supply forces many consumers to seek alternative means of entertainment that do not rely on a constant power source. Wireless speakers, which can be easily connected to smartphones, have become a popular choice for use in

In 2024, sales of portable players in Argentina are set to record a decrease in volume terms. In the past years, specifically from 2020 to 2022, the portable multimedia players, other portable media players, and e-readers segments all saw a decline, yet the overall portable players macro category remained positive. This was due to the strong performance of wireless speakers, which, as of 2024, account for more than 99% of the macro category’s market volume. However, issues related to import rest

Wireless speakers were the only products in portable players to gain volume sales in Hungary during 2024. The convenience of wireless speakers, easy manipulation and the ability to pair them with smartphones makes these products very appealing to consumers. Moreover, new design choices and improved sound quality options are fuelling sales.

In general, sales of portable players have been primarily fuelled by the popularity of wireless speakers, which have remained unaffected by the rise of smartphones, unlike portable multimedia players and e-readers. In fact, the growth of wireless speakers has been enhanced by the proliferation of smartphones, as both devices seamlessly connect, and the portability of wireless speakers allows them to be used anywhere. With pandemic restrictions lifted completely in 2023, there has been a surge in

Portable players in Malaysia is well placed to benefit as the country’s property market is expected to stabilise in 2024, despite ongoing economic uncertainty, with some urban/suburban areas positioned for more robust growth. There is cautious optimism around the domestic property market as inflation starts to ease in the short to medium term. However, the Malaysian Ministry of Finance predicts a relatively high inflation rate in 2024 as the government undergoes belt-tightening with a gradual sh

The market size of portable players in Mexico is dominated by wireless speakers. In 2024, wireless speakers is projected to continue the review period trend of double-digit retail volume growth in Mexico, driven by the growing demand for portable audio devices and the popularity of streaming music. There is a wide range of wireless speakers available in the domestic market, ranging from budget models to high-end devices with advanced features. Wireless speakers are popular among Mexican consumer

Portable players are one of the few consumer electronics that are expected to see an increase in volume sales in Romania in 2024. This is due to the healthy performance of wireless speakers, with volume sales expected to increase by a tenth. There is an increasing range of brands available in the wireless speaker space and this is driving down price and supporting volume sales. There are both high-end and lower-end brands available, including the private label brand Vortex from retailer, Altex.

In 2024, the portable players category in Ukraine saw solid growth in both current value and volume terms, primarily fuelled by the rising demand for wireless speakers. Notably, wireless speakers emerged as the sole segment to demonstrate growth across both metrics during this period. Amidst the constraints of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and limited entertainment options, local consumers are increasingly turning to personal celebrations and gatherings, thereby driving up the demand for wirel

In 2024, the overall volume sales of portable players in Turkey see positive growth, driven by the success of wireless speakers, the only category that registers growth. This growth is primarily due to the rise in individuals adopting a home entertainment lifestyle, a trend catalysed by the lockdowns enforced in 2020 and 2021. As well as showing positive movement, wireless speakers holds by far the largest volume share. Wireless speakers appeal through their modernity and flexibility, and as suc

E-readers continue to experience a strong decline in sales, primarily due to their high price, which hinders their attractiveness. Greeks also have limited interest in e-books, especially the older generations who prefer printed books. Another key obstacle to the increase of e-books and e-readers is the scarcity of Greek-language content in digital formats. At the same time, the growing popularity of e-books amongst consumers for whom language is not a barrier, does not strictly favour e-readers

Retail volume sales of portable players in Thailand in 2023, as portable media players, epitomised by the iPod, continued on their path of decline. With the rise of smartphones, consumers now have access to various applications that provide similar features to portable media players, including music streaming services like Spotify, Apple Music and Joox. Subscribers to these platforms have access to vast libraries of thousands of songs, thereby eliminating the need to store music files on a separ