B’tooth Device Sales Skyrocket in Calif.

By Lisa Johnston -- TWICE, 7/23/2008 1:31:00 PM

Port Washington, New York — Sales of Bluetooth headset devices surged in California following the state’s passage of hands-free driving laws, according to The NPD Group.

The market research company said sales of Bluetooth devices had been skyrocketing in California since March. The top four markets included San Francisco, Sacramento, Los Angeles and San Diego. 

San Francisco sold almost two times the national average in March, almost three times the national average in April, and more than four times the national average in May, said NPD.

“May sales in cities such as St. Louis, Phoenix, and Atlanta, which do not have hands-free laws, were well below the national average,” it added.  

Ross Rubin, industry analysis director of NPD, told TWICE that specific figures were not available. He said that NPD had only been tracking Bluetooth sales on a metropolitan level for two years, but that they would be continuing to track them from now on.

Plantronics, who reported their financial results on Tuesday, said their “June quarter results reflect strong Bluetooth headset demand primarily as a result of California and Washington adopting hands-free driving laws on July 1, 2008.”