Headphones became the primary device through which entertainment is consumed

Evidence

The rapid growth of headphones witnessed since early 2000 can be traced to technological disruptions: introduction of the MP3 player like the iPod followed by the smartphone, and the growth of digital media streaming services. Music and entertainment became mobile and could be enjoyed everywhere. Headphones became the primary device through which entertainment was experienced (Statistica, 2023) and sales increased as their form factor became smaller and wireless. Even in the home, up to 60% of audio is heard through headphones vs. loudspeakers (Bull and Duvall, 2023). — Toole, Floyd E, Sound reproduction- the acoustics and…, 1684

Categorization

• QUESTION: The 60% in-home figure is striking — what drives a loudspeaker/room person to take this seriously? Worth chasing the Bull and Duvall source.
• XREF: Connects to the reader’s interest in psychoacoustic models — the shift to headphones as primary playback changes which spatial acoustic models matter.