60% of Kerala’s Youth Seek Refined Smartphone Audio Experiences: CMR Survey

KOCHI:
Over the course of last year, smartphones have become an even more integral part of everyday lifestyle than ever before. Our need for human interaction and social distancing being the new norm led smartphones with good quality audio, to be a primary source to stay connected with loved ones. CyberMedia Research (CMR), a leading Indian technology market research firm, today released findings from its CMR Spotlight Survey 2021: Importance of Audio in Smartphones for Kerala.

During the festivities of Onam, insights from CMR’s survey point to an overwhelming majority of the youth preferring to connect virtually with their loved ones to partake in the festivities. This, in turn, has led to an increase in consumer demand for better sound quality on their smartphones as audio plays a key role in providing an immersive experience, whether it be for consuming information or entertainment. For every 3 in 5 youth in Kerala, audio quality is the top-most priority in the neo-normal influencing smartphone purchases.

In the homebound economy, the content consumption amongst consumers has increased manifold. With more users watching content on their smartphones, the demand for premium audio experience has increased vastly.

According to Prabhu Ram, Head-Industry Intelligence Group, CMR, “Kerala’s youth are aspirational, actively consume content on their smartphones, and seek the best-in-class experiences. With the increase in the usage of smartphones, they demand better, and more refined audio quality. Leading technology providers, such as Dolby, are fulfilling these user needs by providing them with rich and immersive experiences across devices especially smartphones.”

The CMR Spotlight Survey 2021: Importance of Audio in Smartphones, underlines various audio consumption habits among Indian consumers and revealed that the youth of Kerala are now prioritizing and seeking premium audio quality as one of the top criteria while choosing which smartphone to
purchase.

Some of the key findings of the survey in Kerala are as follows:
 Audio is king: For the youth, audio is an integral part of their lifestyle, providing them with emotional strength and an escape from their high digital overloads.
 Quality Audio brings consumers closer: 79% respondents feel more connected to friends and family through shared audio experiences.
 Movies (94%), Music (93%), and User-Generated Content (80%) are the top three preferred content types on smartphones.
 Quality is important: 3 in every 5 youth in Kerala seek more immersive and refined smartphone audio experience, one that delivers depth and detail in content.
 Seeking Premium Experience: 92% of Kerala’s youth trust audio technologies such as Dolby Atmos to elevate their movie and music experience on their smartphones.

The smartphone market in India is growing at an exponential pace. Through the years, mobile phones have emerged as a critical device that has enabled users to overcome geographic barriers and socio-economic status to interact with each other and embrace technology. The consumers of today are increasingly aware and demand audio quality in their smartphones to be able to enjoy premium, immersive experiences wherever they go.