Connected Toys Market - Growth, Trends, COVID-19 Impact, and Forecasts (2022 - 2027)

Connected Toys Market - Growth, Trends, COVID-19 Impact, and Forecasts (2022 - 2027)

The connected toys market was valued at USD 7.62 billion in 2020 and is expected to register a CAGR of 24.3% over the forecast period (2021 - 2026). In the current market scenario, connected toys are expected to gain traction rapidly. For instance, these toys provide more personalized play experience for children with the help of embedded software that can offer speech and image recognition, app integration, RFID functionality, and web searching functions, among others.

Key Highlights

• Connected toys are multipurpose gadgets in most cases as parents program them for learning exercises and event tracker for the security of their children. For instance, CogniToys’ Dino, utilizes Wi-Fi to stay connected and IBM Watson’s natural language processing technology to tailor its responses as per the child’s age group and skill level. The adoption of connected toys is expected to witness increased demand over the forecast period as parents always embrace products that can assist their children with developing their intellectual level.
• The adoption of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) toys for children’s skills enhancement is one of the key factors driving the demand for the connected toys market. These connected toys are being used to enhance professional skills, such as coding and engineering. For instance, Dot Creativity Kit is an offering from the Wonder Workshop that consists of a trio of chatty robots to encourage children to get into coding. Dash (for 6+-year-olds) and Cue ( for 11+ years old) are few other connected toys.
• Around half of the highest-paying jobs in America demand some coding knowledge. Developing STEM skills among the youngest learners is an economic imperative in the United States. Thus, students starting early in STEM subjects can build strong foundations and begin to enhance the nation’s low scores in these areas. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), 66% of the fourth graders are not proficient in science, and 60% were not trained in mathematics. Thus, toy companies are increasingly investing in making their products a good means of interactive learning.
• Toy giants, such as Lego Group, offer coding-related toys, and several start-ups are also focusing on this new category of connected toys. In May 2019, LEGO Group announced the launch of its new LEGO Star Wars BOOST Droid Commander, an addition to its Star Wars range. The new toy set offers all the creativity and coding fun of LEGO BOOST.
• Though connected toys create valuable benefits for both parents and children, these toys pose certain privacy and security risks. As the kids are vulnerable customers since they do not understand how these toys work and the risks imposed by them, regulations play a critical role in achieving safe products to overcome such security concerns. Moreover, with the outbreak of COVID-19, there are disruptions in the supply chain, causing supply and demand variations.

Key Market TrendsSmartphone Connected Toys are Expected to Witness Significant Growth

• Connected toys, also considered as smart toys, come are available in various shapes and designs. Still, all having one common element is connectivity allowing the children to interact with the toy through a smart device or smartphone. Many manufacturers have been producing toy units that can fly using nothing more than an app and a Wi-Fi or Bluetooth connection.
• With the rapid technological advancements, children’s toys are already computerized and connected to the internet and will continue to witness many more upgrades in the near future. Moreover, an increase in the number of internet users, coupled with the increased adoption of various hand-held devices like smartphones and tablets, is driving the market across the globe.
• Various factors such as direct communication, real-time tracking of children’s activities, and personal data storage that includes a child’s name, photos, and voice recordings, which helps personalize the toys, are some of the reasons driving the app-based connected toys. For instance, in February 2019, Hasbro announced the launch of Star Wars Lightsaber Academy, an app-and-lightsaber-toy combo. The app-enabled by Bluetooth uses motion tracking to record and analyze the action of children. The information arrived at in such fashion is used to issue audio feedback to facilitate real-time training and performance scores.
• As artificial intelligence and robotics have become more affordable than the past years, the technology has been incorporated into a wide range of children’s toys. This not only offers a new interactive experience to the children but also extends the life of toys with multiple features. Such innovations are expected to drive the market over the forecast period.

North America is Expected to Hold the Largest Market Share

• North America is expected to dominate the global connected toys market with a major market share. The rapid adoption of technological advancements in the region and the integration of technology in various learning and leisure gadgets and high penetration of connectivity services stand to be key factors driving the market's growth.
• Increasing adoption of these toys among toddlers and preschoolers in the US and Canada on account of strong product awareness through e-commerce portals and print and digital media is expected to remain a favorable factor over the coming years. Various toy providers and manufacturers are making significant developments and innovations in their products and offerings, which will further contribute to the region's growth.
• For instance, in February 2019, Vtech revealed its new collection of exciting toys displayed at the 2019 North American International Toy Fair. The lineup features an expansion into the exciting robotics toy category and additions to VTech's award-winning Kidi line of children's electronics, infant, toddler and preschool lines, and the Go! Go! Smart Wheels line, which will provide innovative play experiences for kids. Also, LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc. introduced its new product lineup filled with toys that enrich children's development and make learning fun.
• Connected toys are also making their way in the robotics segment and enabling them to learn playfully. For instance, in October 2019, Meet Miko 2, an adorable robot for kids, was launched in North America. Miko 2 offers play-based learning using stories, quizzes, fun facts, interaction, and communication as a smart hub for kids. Such innovations and developments are expected to fuel market growth in the region due to the region's dominance in the adoption of robotics.

Competitive Landscape

The connected toys market is moderately competitive due to many big and small players providing their products in multiple geographies. Major players are adopting strategies like product innovation and mergers and acquisition primarily to extend their product portfolio and stay ahead of the competition. Some of the recent developments in the market are:

• July 2019 - Bandai Namco launched a new platform, Tori, which will combine physical toys with iOS and Android apps. Tori is the product of a strategic collaboration between Bandai Namco and the French technology firm ISKN.
• June 2019 - Mattel Inc. signed a licensing pact with Sanrio Inc. to design and develop products based on Sanrio’s Hello Kitty and other characters. That will add to a Mattel stable that includes the iconic Barbie doll and Fisher-Price toys, Hot Wheels, and American Girl dolls.

Additional Benefits:

• The market estimate (ME) sheet in Excel format
• 3 months of analyst support

Companies Mentioned

Mattel, Inc.
Hasbro, Inc.
Sphero
Wonder Workshop, Inc.
Sony Corporation
WowWee Group Limited
Leka SAS
LEGO System A/S
Bandai Namco Entertainment, Inc.
Anki inc.

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