Shokz 2020 New Product Launch Event Execution

Thirteen months after its previous launch event, Shokz held its 'Riding the Waves, New Sound' 2020 new product launch on August 18, introducing a new entry-level product, enlisting a top cyclist as brand ambassador, and launching the Aeropex Tour de France co-branded set. The event began with Shokz founder Chen Hao sharing the company's future and current status.

Shokz's business covers multiple regions globally and continues to grow. In particular, core bone conduction headphone technologies, such as transducers and acoustic units, are independently developed by Shokz and have long been industry-leading.

With continuous technological advancement, great innovative products eventually become everyday items for households, allowing more consumers to benefit from technological progress. The OpenMove sports bone conduction headphones launched by Shokz represent a key step in making bone conduction technology accessible to all.

Since AirPods, Bluetooth headphones have moved toward true wireless, with manufacturers like Samsung launching TWS earbuds. However, Chen remains confident that open-ear bone conduction headphones are unmatched in safety and comfort compared to in-ear models. In the future, bone conduction and TWS earbuds will complement each other, becoming the two main forces in the headphone market.

Sales are a measure of product strength, so Shokz shared its impressive global market results from the past year. In the first half of 2020, despite the COVID-19 pandemic, Shokz's North American sales reached $78 million, a 57% year-over-year increase.

In the U.S. NPD Bluetooth sports headphone ranking, Shokz rose from fifth in 2018 to third now.

Shokz's sales network now covers over 40 countries and regions across five continents.

Shokz products are available in many well-known retail stores.

Yang Yun, Marketing Director for Greater China at Shokz, shared the company's two core philosophies: 'technological innovation' and 'user-centric thinking.'

Whether in professional or consumer fields, Shokz places great emphasis on R&D and innovation, especially in underlying technology, which is over five years ahead of similar products. When developing new products, the design team, composed of younger generation members, tested samples in various life scenarios based on their own needs and market research. After 14 iterations, they delivered the OpenMove sports bone conduction headphones, offering near-flagship experience at just 598 RMB.

Below is a video showcasing the new features of the OpenMove sports bone conduction headphones.

The set includes an Aeropex Tour de France co-branded headphone and a signed baseball cap from Froome, packaged in an elegant gift box, priced at 1398 RMB. We received the set before the launch; stay tuned for our hands-on review on BikePerfect.

That concludes the launch event. After the event, we interviewed Shokz about its integration with cycling and development strategy; stay tuned for our follow-up report on BikePerfect.