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Chinese video platform Bilibili introduced a new earphone brand called Bilipods with a first product on Wednesday, as it attempts to expand its business in the consumer electronic market.
Why it matters: In the past, Bilibili has partnered with consumer electronic companies to release products with its branding. The launch of Bilipods indicates that the video platform wants to go a step further and utilize its large user base (about 270 million in 2021) to benefit from the booming earphones market.
- In 2021, earphone shipments in China rose to 78.98 million units, a 55.4% yearly growth, according to market intelligence firm IDC.
Details: On Wednesday, Bilibili officially promoted the new earphone brand and its first product to the public. The video platform previously released its earphones and headphones through BEMOE, a sub-brand focusing on various animation-related merchandise.
- Bilipods was first announced on the social media platform Weibo on March 24, saying the brand will focus on products themed in animation, comics, and gaming (ACG), a key focus area of Bilibili.
- Two days after the announcement, Bilipods released its first product: a wireless earphones themed after the popular Japanese manga Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, one of the most popular animation series on Bilibili, with more than 1 billion views.
- The newly released earphones support high-resolution audio with bluetooth version 5.2. Users can also enjoy special UI animation effects while watching videos on Bilibili. It costs RMB 249 ($39.2), targeting the mid to low-end market.
Context: This isn’t the first attempt by Bilibili to get into consumer electronics, as the company has previously joined forces with a variety of consumer electronics manufacturers to launch products using Bilibili’s branding.
- To celebrate Bilibili’s 10th anniversary in 2019, the company collaborated with keyboard maker Cherry to launch a Bilibili branded keyboard.
- Founded in 2009, Bilibili has become one of China’s largest video platforms and animation communities, with a vast collection of original animated content.
