Truly wireless, but still wired
Over the past few years, we have seen a surge in the sales of headphones, Bluetooth-enabled headphones/earphones and the more recent true wireless (TWS) earbuds in the Indian markets. In fact, Indian companies are the top players in shipments, with boAt Lifestyle occupying the top slot with a market share of ~40%.
This has enabled individuals, irrespective of their economic strata, to own the products which are now available across the price points. Owning earphones/earbuds have become as common as smartphones and are the most purchased accessory with a smartphone.
Then why do we observe both, 2-wheeler riders and 4-wheeler drivers prefer answering calls using their devices instead of using earphones or built-in car audio systems. I have spoken to a few people around to get a sense of why they do so.
One of the major reasons was audio connectivity. It is not great while riding a 2-wheeler. This can be due to compromises in the quality of technology at lower price points. There were also concerns around privacy if there were more than one person in the vehicle and you may not want others to listen in to your conversation. Device troubleshooting is not easy in instances were pairing of device didn’t work.
Below are some of the user responses in verbatim:
- “Too many devices to charge”
- “Showing off my device to the world.”
- “I am a daredevil :). Safety be damned.”
- “There were talks about fining people by the traffic authorities who use Bluetooth devices while riding/driving. So, not taking a chance :)”
- “Holding the device is a more intuitive way.”
…and many more.
As you can see, the quality of technology is definitely a concern at lower price points, but a major chunk rests on user behaviour. To put things into context, understanding how we have evolved in our behaviour of using a headphone/earphone is a good starting point.
Our first experience was with wired headsets which were bulky, that gave way to earphones which were more compact. Apple’s iPod took this experience to the next level. When we look today, smartphones have become the primary listening devices with Bluetooth enabled earphones/ TWS earbuds as the go-to options.
We have perfected our listening device pairing across various activities such as working out, walking, travelling, etc. but when it comes to riding/driving we are to a great extent hardwired in our approach. Unless there are clear mandates and consequences we don’t seem to budge in our approach.
Wearing a seatbelt/helmet is directly related to our personal safety, but we still have reasons for not complying with them. We bargain persistently with the authorities when we are caught in spite of being clearly aware of being non-compliant.
Is it because we have mapped the probability of an unforeseen event such as a serious accident or we simply put convenience over safety? What can the devices companies do to improve the product usage experience?
Or is there something more to this? Would love to hear your thoughts.
Until next time!
~ Sajid
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Sajid is a Strategy Consultant who works at the intersection of human behaviour, business design and innovation strategy. He blogs at sknotes and tweets @sajidkhetani.
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