Interactive Baby Monitors Market

Market Overview

The global interactive baby monitors market size was valued at USD 1.96 billion in 2022. It is estimated to reach USD 6.58 billion by 2031, growing at a CAGR of 14.41% during the forecast period (2023–2031).

The term "baby monitor" refers to a radio system used to listen to an infant's sounds from a distance. A child audio monitor consists of a transmitter unit with a microphone close to the child. It transmits the sounds via radio waves to a receiver device with a speaker carried by or near the caregiver. Some newborn monitors feature two-way communication, allowing the parent to converse with the infant (parent talk-back). Certain permits allow for the engagement in musical activities for children. A monitor with a video camera and a receiver is frequently called a baby cam.

Parents may now watch over their kids from their cellphones or PCs thanks to the Wi-Fi capabilities of some modern baby cams. One of the primary functions of baby monitors is to enable caregivers to hear when an infant awakens when they are out of the infant's immediate hearing range. Frequently, infants and young children can be heard communicating with themselves over a baby monitor. This is a typical aspect of their language practice.

Market Dynamics

Global Interactive Baby Monitors Market Drivers

Reduced Infant Mortality Rates

The infant mortality rate is the number of deaths per 1,000 live births below one year. Nearly 2.7 million babies die every year during the first month of birth, and a similar number are stillborn. However, neonatal deaths declined to less than 2.4 million in 2019 from 5.1 million in 1990. There has been a decline in neonatal deaths in various African countries.

In the past decade, there has been a gradual increase in the global birth rate. However, China, India, and Nigeria are among the nations with the most rapidly expanding economies. These countries have high birth rates and a niche market for baby monitors, making them highly prospective markets.

Growing Popularity of Outdoor Activities

The surging number of nuclear families and rising women's employment are driving the market for baby goods such as baby monitors (especially the smart and Wi-Fi enabled types) due to the remote monitoring feature. Nuclear families are the most common family type globally. In 2019, 97.2% of the nuclear families in the US had at least one working parent. Likewise, in 2019, the highest proportion of households, around 62.01%, consisted of both parents engaged in employment.

Additionally, the rising number of nuclear families globally is influencing the demand for various audio and video baby monitors as the child is under the care of parents alone. This has enhanced opportunities and the use of more sophisticated and advanced monitors in the market with a rising disposable income. Despite the impact on the financial status of working individuals across the globe during the pandemic in 2020, the expected revival of the economy is expected to support the spending power on consumer goods such as baby monitors during the forecast period.

Global Interactive Baby Monitors Market Restraint

Health Hazards Due to Electromagnetic Radiation

Baby monitors may pose a threat to babies and may have other associated risks. There are instances where baby monitors with manufacturing defects can pose a significant threat to the baby. While the market has witnessed risks associated with wired baby monitors in the past, wireless ones can also pose health hazards to babies. For instance, electromagnetic radiation emitted by most baby movement monitor devices may pose health hazards to babies as they employ wireless network connectivity for parental convenience. Therefore, such risks associated with baby monitors restrict the market growth.

Global Interactive Baby Monitors Market Opportunities

Growing Demand for Smart Baby Monitors

Smart wearable technology has penetrated the traditional monitor market for three years. Vendors have identified the need to launch and innovate baby monitors that are compatible with the concept of smart homes. Motion detection or movement monitor has gained momentum in the past five years. Additional functionalities such as monitoring of ECG, oxygen level, and temperature, along with traditional motion sensing functions, are being added to these new products by vendors. Further, many vendors have introduced smart baby monitors in the market to cater to the needs of modern-day parents. For instance, Lumi from Pampers is an accessible smart baby monitor with a Wi-Fi capability that costs USD 229 and is offered on the market.

Additionally, the technological landscape for baby monitors has advanced rapidly, resulting in the development of advanced and highly sophisticated baby monitors. For instance, baby sound monitors are available in analog and digital models with clear sound and high-resolution image quality, infrared night vision, tilt, zoom, a high-sensitivity microphone, and pre-recorded lullabies. The adoption of monitors equipped with advanced technologies is expected to provide opportunities for market growth in the future.

Regional Analysis

Based on region, the global interactive baby monitors market is bifurcated into North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East and Africa.

North America Dominates the Global Market

North America is the most significant global interactive baby monitors market shareholder and is anticipated to exhibit a CAGR of 11.93% during the forecast period. North America is home to about 368 million people, and about 141 million households are in the region. US nationals are known for their preference for smart products. Moreover, the United States experiences an annual average of approximately 3.5-4 million births. The interactive baby monitors market in North America has been experiencing several challenges over the past few years due to decreased birth and total fertility rates. Falling birth rates have led to a shift in the region's population. The elderly demographic has also experienced significant growth. However, the region is expected to generate steady demand during the forecast period owing to the new births in the region, where the vendors in the market are expected to generate revenue from the increasing young immigrant population.

Furthermore, the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association (JPMA), which consists of more than 200 companies in the US and Canada, oversees and complies with the interest, growth, and well-being of children in the region with numerous certification criteria and norms for baby monitor manufacturers. Such factors contribute to the regional interactive baby monitors market growth.

Europe is predicted to exhibit a CAGR of 10.93% over the forecast period. The UK, France, Germany, Italy, and Spain are the major countries for the baby monitors market in the region. Europe is experiencing an increase in end-consumer disposable income per capita, fueling the expansion of the retail industry in the region. The strengthening economies of several European nations have led to an increase in disposable income throughout Europe. This has increased discretionary consumer expenditure on leisure activities. In addition, the per capita disposable income growth has led to higher discretionary spending across Europe. For instance, Germany's average household disposable income per capita was among the highest among OECD countries at USD 34,294, signifying the growth prospects for baby care products market such as baby monitors. In Germany, about one in two mothers have part-time jobs, making it advantageous to use gadgets like baby monitors to remotely monitor their babies' activities.

The Asia-Pacific region is estimated to be the fastest-expanding region for the market owing to the rise in preference for smart baby care goods and high disposable income. By 2030, 66% of the global middle-class population is expected to live in Asia, including China and Southeast Asia. The growing population in these regions allows manufacturers to expand their operations. In addition, local companies and established global baby monitor brands are expected to witness high regional competition to capture the newly developing market. Key countries in the Asia-Pacific region for baby monitors are China, Japan, Australia, South Korea, and India. These nations are experiencing rising populations, purchasing power, rising healthcare standards, and declining infant mortality rates.

Similarly, the demographic movement from rural to urban areas drives demand in emerging economies for more practical and intelligent products. The demand for baby monitors in China is also increasing due to the second-child policy and the surge in birth rates over the previous five years.

The Middle East and Africa region had the least revenue in the global baby monitors market. However, increasing urbanization and a rise in disposable income are the major growth drivers in the market during the forecast period. Every year, the urban population increases by 3.5% in Africa and 4% in the Middle East. Due to high-income opportunities, the Middle East has seen a considerable increase in expats.

In addition, people living in urban areas are more aware of safety concerns and thus are opting for tech-savvy products such as baby monitors. Increasing numbers of babies born in the Middle East and Africa could mean more people in those regions are in your target market for baby monitors. Baby monitor adoption in Turkey may benefit from the country's rising economy and household income over the forecast period.

Segmental Analysis

The global interactive baby monitors market is segmented by product, transmission, type, and distribution.

Based on the product, the global market is bifurcated into audio and video, movement monitors, and audio-only monitors. 

The audio and video segment dominates the global market and is expected to exhibit a CAGR of 15.14% over the forecast period. These monitors relay audio and video data or footage to the parent or receiver's unit. These monitors are relatively high-priced than audio-only monitors. They are usually preferred for babies that have the habit of climbing over cribs often. An inbuilt speaker and microphone can be monitored with an LCD screen or a mobile monitoring application.

In addition, parents increasingly prefer monitors with video features for real-time interaction. The main causes of this are the widespread use of these devices and the possibility of live interaction between parents and their kids. Visual and audio baby monitors broadcast live audio and video while providing cutting-edge capabilities like temperature sensing and heart rate monitoring. These reasons will increase end-user demand for these devices over the forecast period.

Based on transmission, the global market is segmented into digital and analog baby monitors. 

The digital baby monitors segment owns the highest interactive baby monitors market share and is estimated to exhibit a CAGR of 15.45% during the forecast period. Digital transmission encrypts an audio/video signal and is a niche technology. However, it is the dominant technology in terms of usage in baby monitors. A baby monitor using digital transmission scrambles the signal into a series of codes during its transmission over a radio frequency. The signal is returned to the correct order once it reaches the receiver.

Although a digital baby monitor works similarly to an analog monitor, it sends encrypted signals using a frequency of 2.4 GHz, which minimizes interference. However, many believe that a stronger signal pulse of a digital baby monitor could be harmful if kept close to the baby. This notion has not yet been proven scientifically, but there are apprehensions among end-users regarding the safety of digital baby monitors. Despite the higher EMF, these variants are preferred for incorporating more advanced features. Wireless transmission technologies such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and DECT are included in the segment.

Based on type, the global market is divided into conventional and smart baby monitors. 

The conventional baby monitors segment is the most significant contributor to the market and is estimated to exhibit a CAGR of 12.96% over the forecast period. Conventional baby monitors are the most traditional and non-smart versions available. The segment is estimated to lose its share to the booming smart category owing to the enhanced audio and video quality, voice integration, security, and portable nature. Typical devices are also powered by alternating current (AC). The presence of cords can provide a potential health risk to infants.

The affordable cost of conventional baby monitors is expected to drive momentum in emerging economies where the parents' requirements are confined to monitoring within a certain range. Most analog baby monitors fall into the conventional segment that can transmit analog or digital signals. RF-enabled audio and video monitors are considered to be the major revenue generators in the segment.

Based on distribution, the global market is divided into retail and online channels. 

The retail channel segment is the largest revenue contributor to the market and is expected to exhibit a CAGR of 13.88% over the forecast period. The entry of security device manufacturers such as Lorex and camera manufacturers such as Samsung has increased the sales of baby monitors through retail outlets such as child specialty stores and supermarkets worldwide. Although the trend of selling these devices online is increasing, a significant share of baby monitor distribution occurs through child specialty stores. Baby monitor manufacturers use grocery stores and child-specific establishments because of the individualized customer service they provide. Shop and supermarket employees have received training on baby monitors, their use, and their working principles. Customers are informed about these new products by the personnel, who also aid them in choosing this equipment.

Recent Developments

• May 2023- Masimo, a medical technology company, introduced Stork, a new state-of-the-art infant monitoring system for the home. The new system provides caregivers with access to their infant's health information.
• January 2023- Chillax, the creator of the first baby monitor, unveiled its newest products at this year's Consumer Electronics Show (CES). With the introduction of the brand-new Giraffe AI, Thermo AI, and Care Plus models, the company has created the most innovative infant technology while maintaining an affordable price point.