How popular isSony?
In September 2026, people searched for Sony by name about 28,000 times in New Zealand, a 12.4% increase from the previous year. These searches made up 13.4% of all New Zealand headphone brand searches, placing Sony third out of ten brands. When we asked both ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about headphone brands, Sony appeared in all answers and was the most recommended of the ten.
Sony is the third most searched of 10 competitors and the most recommended in AI answers.
Apple AirPodsShare of searches 43.8%Mentioned in 2 of 5 AI answersPlace in AI recommendations 5th
JBLShare of searches 23.7%Mentioned in 3 of 5 AI answersPlace in AI recommendations 4th
SonyShare of searches 13.4%Mentioned in 5 of 5 AI answersPlace in AI recommendations 1st
BoseShare of searches 7.3%Mentioned in 5 of 5 AI answersPlace in AI recommendations 2nd
SennheiserShare of searches 3.6%Mentioned in 5 of 5 AI answersPlace in AI recommendations 3rd
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Top headphone brands in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, Sony appeared in all five answers. Sony is the most recommended of the ten.
Most recommended by AI
Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.
- Sony1st
- Bose2nd
- Sennheiser3rd
- JBL4th
- Apple AirPods5th
Soundcore6th
Skullcandy7th
Beats–
Jabra–
Marshall–
Mentioned by AI
Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.
- Sony5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
- Bose5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
- Sennheiser5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
- JBL3 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
- Soundcore3 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
- Apple AirPods2 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
- Skullcandy1 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
- Beats0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
- Jabra0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
- Marshall0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
See every answer about headphone brands
5 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Which headphone brand should I buy in New Zealand?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best headphone brands in New Zealand?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best headphone brand in New Zealand for everyday listening?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“best headphones”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“wireless headphones nz”
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in New Zealand on October 19, 2026.
Which headphone brands compete with Sony?
Share of searches by month for Apple AirPods, JBL, Sony, Bose, Sennheiser, Skullcandy, Beats. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | Apple AirPods | JBL | Sony | Bose | Sennheiser | Skullcandy | Beats | Jabra | Soundcore | Marshall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 44.7% | 22.2% | 13.6% | 8.9% | 3.5% | 3% | 2.2% | 1.1% | 0.44% | 0.38% |
| Nov 2025 | 44.3% | 23.4% | 14.1% | 8.8% | 3.2% | 2.7% | 2% | 0.8% | 0.33% | 0.41% |
| Dec 2025 | 40.1% | 30.4% | 12.6% | 8% | 3% | 2.6% | 1.9% | 0.67% | 0.3% | 0.39% |
| Jan 2026 | 42.7% | 25.6% | 14% | 7.9% | 3.2% | 2.8% | 2% | 0.99% | 0.38% | 0.41% |
| Feb 2026 | 47% | 22.3% | 13.4% | 7.2% | 3.3% | 3% | 2% | 1% | 0.42% | 0.37% |
| Mar 2026 | 46.9% | 21.1% | 14% | 7.5% | 3.6% | 3.1% | 2% | 0.96% | 0.47% | 0.42% |
| Apr 2026 | 43.7% | 24.8% | 13.5% | 7.8% | 3.6% | 2.9% | 2% | 0.95% | 0.39% | 0.42% |
| May 2026 | 45.1% | 22.7% | 13.4% | 8% | 4.1% | 3% | 1.9% | 0.92% | 0.43% | 0.44% |
| Jun 2026 | 45.4% | 22.1% | 13.1% | 8.3% | 4.6% | 3% | 1.7% | 0.79% | 0.52% | 0.45% |
| Jul 2026 | 44.4% | 23% | 13.4% | 8% | 4.7% | 3% | 1.8% | 0.84% | 0.42% | 0.35% |
| Aug 2026 | 45.6% | 22.5% | 12.4% | 8.3% | 4% | 3.7% | 1.9% | 0.8% | 0.47% | 0.36% |
| Sep 2026 | 43.8% | 23.7% | 13.4% | 7.3% | 3.6% | 3.6% | 3% | 0.7% | 0.46% | 0.42% |
| Rank | Brand | Share of searches | Estimated monthly branded searches | vs prior month | Share change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1, held 1st | 43.8% | 83.8K | -1% | -1.8 points | |
| 2, held 2nd | 23.7% | 45.3K | +8.5% | +1.2 points | |
| 3, held 3rd | 13.4% | 25.7K | +11.4% | +1 points | |
| 4, held 4th | 7.3% | 14K | -9% | -1 points | |
| 5, held 5th | 3.6% | 7K | -6.4% | -0.4 points | |
| 6, held 6th | 3.6% | 6.8K | -0.44% | -0.1 points | |
| 7, held 7th | 3% | 5.8K | +63.5% | +1.1 points | |
| 8, held 8th | 0.7% | 1.3K | -10.1% | -0.1 points | |
| 9, held 9th | 0.46% | 880 | 0% | 0 points | |
| 10, held 10th | 0.42% | 800 | +21.2% | +0.1 points |
43.8%
Held 1st. 83.8K estimated branded searches, -1% vs prior month. Share -1.8 points.
2.
JBL23.7%
Held 2nd. 45.3K estimated branded searches, +8.5% vs prior month. Share +1.2 points.
3.
Sony13.4%
Held 3rd. 25.7K estimated branded searches, +11.4% vs prior month. Share +1 points.
4.
Bose7.3%
Held 4th. 14K estimated branded searches, -9% vs prior month. Share -1 points.
3.6%
Held 5th. 7K estimated branded searches, -6.4% vs prior month. Share -0.4 points.
3.6%
Held 6th. 6.8K estimated branded searches, -0.44% vs prior month. Share -0.1 points.
7.
Beats3%
Held 7th. 5.8K estimated branded searches, +63.5% vs prior month. Share +1.1 points.
8.
Jabra0.7%
Held 8th. 1.3K estimated branded searches, -10.1% vs prior month. Share -0.1 points.
0.46%
Held 9th. 880 estimated branded searches, 0% vs prior month. Share 0 points.
10.
Marshall0.42%
Held 10th. 800 estimated branded searches, +21.2% vs prior month. Share +0.1 points.
Compare popularity between Sony and its closest rivals
Every comparison with Sony
41 comparisons
- Apple AirPods vs Sony
- JBL vs Sony
- Bose vs Sony
- GoPro vs Sony
- Insta360 vs Sony
- Sonos vs Sony
- Canon vs Sony
- Fujifilm vs Sony
- Sennheiser vs Sony
- Skullcandy vs Sony
- Sony vs Ultimate Ears
- Beats vs Sony
- Philips vs Sony
- Nikon vs Sony
- Sony vs TCL
- Sony vs Veon
- Hisense vs Sony
- Panasonic vs Sony
- Jabra vs Sony
- Panasonic Lumix vs Sony
- Edifier vs Sony
- Sony vs Soundcore
- Marshall vs Sony
- Bang & Olufsen vs Sony
- OM System vs Sony
- Bowers & Wilkins vs Sony
- KEF vs Sony
- Samsung vs Sony
- LG vs Sony
- Audio-Technica vs Sony
- Pro-Ject vs Sony
- Sony vs Technics
- Sony vs Tamron
- Sigma vs Sony
- Denon vs Sony
- Q Acoustics vs Sony
- Rega vs Sony
- Sony vs Yamaha
- DALI vs Sony
- Marantz vs Sony
- Onkyo vs Sony
How has branded search demand for Sony changed in New Zealand over the last 12 months?
2 findings
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, estimated monthly branded searches for Sony in New Zealand rose from 24.9K to 28K.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Sony’s share of searches among headphone brands in New Zealand peaked at 14.1% in November 2025 and was lowest at 12.4% in August 2026.
How did search popularity change for New Zealand headphone brands in September 2026?
6 changes
In September 2026, JBL gained share of searches among headphone brands in New Zealand, from 22.5% to 23.7%.
In September 2026, Beats gained share of searches among headphone brands in New Zealand, from 1.9% to 3%.
In September 2026, Sony gained share of searches among headphone brands in New Zealand, from 12.4% to 13.4%.
In September 2026, Apple AirPods lost share of searches among headphone brands in New Zealand, from 45.6% to 43.8%.
In September 2026, Bose lost share of searches among headphone brands in New Zealand, from 8.3% to 7.3%.
Estimated monthly branded searches for Skullcandy in New Zealand rose 39.9% over 12 measured months, from 4.9K to 6.8K in September 2026.
How are Sony’s branded searches counted?
25 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Sony’s name. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brand is growing, holding steady, or fading.
- sony
- sony android tv
- sony av receiver
- sony bluetooth headphones
- sony bravia tv
- sony camara
- sony cyber shot
- sony earbuds
- sony earphones
- sony headphones
- sony led tv
- sony lens
- sony mirrorless
- sony oled tv
- sony receiver
- sony turntable
- sony tv
- sony tv sale
- sony wh 1000xm4
- sony wh 1000xm5
- sony wh 1000xm6
- sony wired earphones
- sony wired headphones
- sony wireless earbuds
- sony wireless headphones
Who owns Sony?
Sony is owned by Sony. Brandwave also tracks 
PlayStation and PlayStation VR2, owned by the same company, in New Zealand.
Do you work for Sony? To request corrections or removal please contact us via our support page and we will be happy to assist.
Where does Sony compete?
| Competitor set | Rank | Share of searches | Ranking |
|---|---|---|---|
| Headphone brands | 3rd of 10 | 13.4% | Shown above |
| Bluetooth headphones brands | 3rd of 8 | 10.5% | Show ranking |
| Bluetooth earbuds brands | 3rd of 6 | 11.2% | Show ranking |
| Earphones brands | 3rd of 6 | 11.3% | Show ranking |
| Ear buds brands | 3rd of 4 | 11.3% | Show ranking |
| Speaker brands | 2nd of 12 | 19.6% | Show ranking |
| Bluetooth speaker brands | 2nd of 8 | 21.3% | Show ranking |
| Home cinema brands | 2nd of 8 | 22.9% | Show ranking |
| Camera brands | 1st of 8 | 29.7% | Show ranking |
| Soundbar with subwoofer brands | 2nd of 6 | 35.4% | Show ranking |
| TV brands | 1st of 8 | 43.1% | Show ranking |
| Camera lens brands | 1st of 7 | 56.1% | Show ranking |
| Surround sound system brands | 1st of 8 | 56.5% | Show ranking |
| Telephoto lens brands | 1st of 4 | 70.1% | Show ranking |
| Wide angle lens brands | 1st of 4 | 70.1% | Show ranking |
| Turntable brands | 4th of 5 | 6.5% | Show ranking |
| AV receiver brands | 5th of 5 | 4.3% | Show ranking |
Is Sony your brand?
Put your own campaigns, spend and outcomes next to this demand line, so you can see which of your marketing lined up with the movements above.