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The theory of Bone Conduction Theory has been around since 2AD but it wasn't until the 1970s when the first use case became clear. The development of the first hearing aids using bone conduction was released. It revolutionised the way people understood sound and provided massive opportunities to those with specific hearing issues.
Fast forward to today and Bone Conduction Headphones are a market of their own. Now widely used as an alternative to standard TWS, they allow people to listen to audio without fully shutting off the world around them.
As always, this newsletter is designed to be a light, easy read on this week’s topic. For deeper insight into individual markets, we cover 200+ equipment markets on our market intelligence platform, dataportl.
The Utilisation
Bone Conduction (BC) Headphones have been used widely across various verticals. Utilised very quickly by the military, in order to provide accurate comms while leaving the ability to remain aware of other surroundings. With simple ergonomic design, BC could also be implemented into helmets and other headwear with ease.
As the world began to keep up with new and exciting emerging technologies, the use case for BC expanded outside of the military. Consumer markets were starting to take notice.
One of the first instances was actually within the commercially unsuccessful Google Glass. The product relied upon solely using bone conduction technology to deliver audio, featuring a transducer that rests near the ear and sends vibrations directly through the skull to the inner ear. This is still evident today in the wildly expanding Smart Glasses market as new innovation continues.
Brands like Shokz caught on quickly. Shokz were one of the first brands to innovate Bone Conduction into a stand alone headphone product. The use case? Athletes! Aftershokz allowed cyclists, runners and other athletes the opportunity to enjoy media whilst sharing public spaces with others. The world was given a product that was not only safer but provided a high quality sound.
Other brands including Philips, Mojawa, HAYLOU, Raycon and BoCo have also continued to push the category forward as awareness-focused audio continues to grow globally.
But the application didn’t stop there, it spread into education, construction, law enforcement and manufacturing with more applications being learnt every year.
A brief talk about the data
This article is based on dataportl’s ongoing tracking of global device and equipment markets. dataportl provides structured visibility across 200+ markets, helping teams understand where demand is forming, how it’s changing, and which players are active in each vertical.
For teams that need to stay close to how demand is shifting across multiple markets, dataportl acts as a single reference point for ongoing analysis and planning.
With that, back to the article.
The rise of hybrid open-ear audio:
One of the more interesting shifts in the market has been the move towards hybrid open-ear designs that combine bone conduction with traditional air conduction technology. Earlier bone conduction devices were designed almost entirely around awareness and practicality, often sacrificing audio depth and bass performance in the process. Hybrid systems are changing that by focusing on improving the actual listening experience.
Newer generation products from Shokz have started combining traditional Bone Conduction with directional air conduction speakers positioned near the ear in their ‘OpenRun2’ product. Rather than relying entirely on vibrations through the cheekbones, these hybrid systems help improve bass and overall audio depth whilst still keeping the ear canal open to surrounding noise.
The result is a listening experience that feels far more natural for everyday use, particularly for people working, exercising or commuting who still want awareness of the environment around them. Rather than replacing traditional earbuds entirely, this newer generation of open-ear audio products is carving out its own space between convenience, comfort and safety.
But what does this mean?
Dataportl tracks that the market has seen a massive spike since 2018. Shipments and revenues across the globe exploded as people learnt about this new technology and its applications.
A product that previously gently broke into the headset markets, saw huge exponential growth from 2018 to 2024 where the market then plateaued. Dataportl now sees a steady and healthy 2.5% CAGR from 2025 - 2030. Interestingly, the ASP has stayed very similar since 2018 with very little fluctuation. Hitting a spike in 2019 the price has steadily decreased since then.
Bone conduction may have started as a specialist technology, but it’s now becoming part of a much broader shift in how people consume audio.
This market forms part one of dataportl’s 200+ device coverage. Displayed on our dashboard and used by teams to track how demand evolves over time, where volume is concentrating by region, and which brands/OEMs are driving scale. Market Data. Made Simple.