Qualcomm, one of the biggest mobile chip makers in the world, released a report last year titled “The State of Sound 2021” that highlighted the factors influencing consumers’ audio purchase decisions and growing areas of interest in the audio space. As per the report, 70% of the surveyed people believed having good sound on their headphones/earphones creates the best mobile experience, 58% said they’re likely to switch to an HD streaming service, 42% reported they use truly wireless earbuds for gaming across different devices, and 52% said they’re seeking either high-resolution or lossless audio quality. Continuing the tradition, Qualcomm has released a new State of Sound report for 2022 at the Snapdragon Summit 2022. Much like the previous report, this year’s study also observed 6000 smartphone users as participants and focused on examining the factors driving users’ audio device purchases and their interests in the current and future usage scenarios. Let’s take a closer look at The State of Sound report 2022 and the key takeaways from it.
What Is “The State of Sound Report 2022”?
For the past two years, Qualcomm’s been surveying consumers all over the world on their audio usage and consumer behavior and releasing a summary of the insights in the State of Sound report. The areas and categories for the survey are decided based on the objective and the focus of the research. For 2022, Qualcomm’s focus of research is based on the growth of the truly wireless earbud category, growing interest in spatial audio, and the importance of lossless and high-res audio quality. A total of 6000 smartphone users in the 18-64 age group from different locations around the globe are a part of this study. And the following are the key findings from the report:
Listeners are more driven by audio quality than ever, with 58% of respondents seeking either high-resolution or lossless audio quality Spatial Audio is the next must-have feature for more than half of the respondents True wireless earbuds are becoming integral to mobile gaming Battery life remains a key driver for people buying wireless speakers Consumers are leaning toward Bluetooth LE Audio features like Broadcast audio in their next audio devices Respondents expect to use their audio devices with their hybrid working
What Are the Key Takeaways From “The State of Sound Report 2022”?
The State of Sound Report 2022 sheds light on many important aspects, such as top audio purchase drivers, features that matter to users the most, and several other user behaviors and preferences. Below is a summary highlighting all the key takeaways from this year’s State of Sound report:
Sound Literacy Is Increasing! And That’s a Good Sign
Sound, whether it be in music or voice, has become more important to people over the past couple of years. And Qualcomm’s reports in the past two years are a testament to it. While last year’s report showed user behaviors and preferences in areas like true wireless earbuds, audio accessory use for gaming, and the impact of sound on remote working, The State of Sound report 2022 shows how users are taking sound more seriously through their growing interests in advanced features like spatial audio and the lossless and high-resolution audio quality, hinting toward an increasing sound literacy, which is a positive sign for consumer interest in audio in the future. Disclosure: Our Editor is in Hawaii on Qualcomm’s invite to attend the Snapdragon Summit 2022.
