The Future of Keyboard Piano is Keyboard-Only
Piano keyboards are not going away anytime soon, and they are already seeing an increase in popularity in the consumer electronics market.
A new study conducted by research company Next Big, which analyzed the trends of keyboard-only keyboards over the past two years, found that they were growing in popularity.
The study found that keyboard-less keyboards are currently the second most popular style of keyboard after the more traditional piano keyboards, but the popularity of keyboard keyboards is only growing.
Keyboards, according to Next Big’s research, have seen a 35 percent increase in market share since 2016.
“We’re seeing the keyboard market grow to a level that has never been seen before,” Next Big founder and CEO Jonathan M. Katz said in a press release.
“In the past, a keyboard-driven product was a niche product that could only be made by an extremely niche company, and there was no consumer demand for them.
But that is changing.”
The Next Big study found, that in 2016, the average price for a keyboard with an external keyboard was $539.
The average price per keyboard was around $1,300, with keyboard manufacturers including Apple, Dell, and Lenovo, offering keyboards with keyboards that cost less than $250.
“The popularity of keyboards is so fast, that we were able to track the evolution of keyboard sales from 2016 to 2017,” Katz said.
“For the first time in history, the number of keyboard manufacturers has grown more than 60 percent, which is a massive jump.
And this is not just a new trend.
It’s a generational change.”
While the study also found that the average keyboard sold in the U.S. in 2017 was around 25 percent less than in 2016—the first time that trend had been observed since at least 2013.
And while the average prices of keyboard models are rising in the marketplace, the industry is still dominated by companies that make keyboards for individual users, and some are still focused on keyboards as a marketing tool.
This is where a new generation of keyboards comes in, according the study.
“There are currently five major categories of keyboard brands that have emerged that are poised to challenge existing keyboard brands in the market: Pro, Pro-Class, Pro Mini, and Pro-mini,” Katz explained.
“Pro Mini is the next-generation keyboard manufacturer focused on creating products that are affordable and offer a premium feel.”
The research showed that the top five manufacturers of Pro Mini keyboards were all located in the Los Angeles area.
Pro Mini also features a large variety of models, which include a number of keyboards that are available for $250, $500, and $1.5 million.
Some of the keyboards that Next Big studied included the Apple MacBook Pro, the Apple Keyboard Pro, and the Dell Keyboard Pro.
Katz noted that this trend of “premium” keyboards is also seeing a big jump in popularity across the industry.
“While we don’t have a lot of data on which brands are the most popular, we can say that there is an increasing focus on premium keyboards,” Katz added.
“These companies are making premium products that offer a more comfortable typing experience.”
For more on keyboard brands, check out Next Big.
