Observation | The penetration rate of MEMS-integrated microphones is on the rise, and their stability advantages are driving the industry's popularization

2Firsts, Shenzhen, August 27, 2025 — From August 26 to 29, the 6th Vape Industry Chain Exhibition was held in Shenzhen, where 2Firsts visited the venue and conducted research on the latest trends in the e-cigarette supply chain.

As one of the key components of e-cigarettes, electret microphones (ECMs) were widely used in the past. However, due to ECMs’ vulnerability to temperature and humidity as well as their insufficient stability, the industry has gradually shifted to MEMS-integrated microphones in recent years. By comparison, MEMS microphones have significantly improved performance in terms of high temperature resistance, water resistance, oil resistance and anti-volatilization; they also hold advantages in production yield and consistency.

A representative from a MEMS microphone manufacturer stated at the exhibition that a growing number of small and medium-sized e-cigarette manufacturers have begun to adopt MEMS microphones, whose stability effectively addresses the oil leakage issue commonly seen in traditional products. Although MEMS microphones had limited production volume and relatively high prices in the early promotion stage, with the increase in penetration rate and production capacity, their current unit price has become comparable to that of traditional ECMs.

2Firsts has learned that major manufacturers of MEMS microphones are concentrated in regions such as Jiangsu and Shandong. Most of these enterprises originally engaged in the manufacturing of consumer electronic products (e.g., mobile phone microphones) and are now gradually expanding into the e-cigarette sector. However, due to their distance from e-cigarette manufacturing hubs, these enterprises usually adopt a dual-channel model of agents and direct sales—for instance, setting up sales outlets in Shenzhen. Customers can either place orders through sales agents or contact the manufacturers directly. Currently, the market price of MEMS-integrated microphones is approximately 0.5 yuan per unit.

According to research data from QYResearch, the global market sales of MEMS microphones for e-cigarettes are expected to reach 4.91 billion yuan by 2031, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.2% from 2025 to 2031.