Verified Market Research, 2023). As devices mature into their second and third generation, feature sets are improving with sharper cameras (for photo/video recording), augmented reality for navigation (not just entertainment) and support from AI chatbots.

Wireless earbuds are becoming essential tech companions, helping people on the go to access audio entertainment (a booming market) and to stay connected with friends, family and work. As in-ear headphones embed into consumer routines, they’re taking on more tasks. Next-gen versions can monitor wearers’ health, coach workouts and resemble a designer-fashion accessory.

Globally, 63% of consumers want multisensory experiences from brands – a desire that’s especially notable within gaming (Wunderman Thompson, 2023). Emerging devices enable players to engage with game worlds in a tactile and physically immersive manner, offering them a sense of truly inhabiting an alternative reality.

Across Australia, India, the UK and the US, 45% of consumers say they’d employ generative AI more frequently if it was integrated into the devices they already use (Salesforce, 2023). Smart brands are foregrounding AI functionality by creating shortcuts for summoning chatbots or weaving engagement into often-used services, like text messaging.

Some 71% of Americans anticipate making more sustainable purchase decisions in the future (Specright, 2023), while majorities of consumers in European markets, like Italy and the Netherlands, already prioritise sustainable purchasing. Tech brands are responding with repairable devices, extended software updates (to reduce planned obsolescence) and energy-savvy gadgets.