Sonos and IKEA Reveal Prototypes for 'Symfonisk' Speakers, Including One That Doubles as a Shelf

[MacRumors]

Following yesterday's announcement from Sonos that AirPlay 2 will be coming to its speakers this July, more details about the company's partnership with IKEA have now emerged, after first being revealed in December. In a press release shared by the Swedish furniture maker, the two companies detail a "long-term partnership" that's beginning with a new range of speakers called "Symfonisk" (via The Verge).

A few non-functional prototypes of Symfonisk were showcased at IKEA's Democratic Design Day event in Sweden, and the company says that the Wi-Fi speaker system will fully integrate with Sonos' existing products as well as IKEA's own Trådfris smart home line of lights and switches. Of course, Symfonisk will also be compatible with many of IKEA's furniture through a bracket system that can turn the speaker into a shelf or place it under a METOD kitchen cabinet, among other prototyped ideas.

A Symfonisk prototype attached to the wall above the Sonos Play:5 via The Verge​

IKEA mentioned that it's still early on in the design process for Symfonisk, so the look and implementation of the speakers could change before they are released sometime "after summer in 2019." Suggested prices were also not yet given.

"Sonos' company culture is very similar to that of IKEA. Our shared values and beliefs made us connect from day one. When the actual work started, we felt that we were the perfect match in every way", says Björn Block, Business Leader for IKEA Home Smart.

"Many people dream of built-in sound systems, but few can afford it. Our goal is for our collective work to save space, get rid of cords, make clutter invisible, and bring sound and music into the home in a more beautiful way", says Björn.

IKEA has already gotten into the speaker market, launching a line of minimalist "Eneby" Bluetooth speakers earlier this year. These devices come in 8-inch and 12-inch sizes, can be both mounted on a wall or displayed on a stand, and are designed to fit in the Kallax and Eket storage systems.

In 2017, IKEA launched the Trådfri Smart Lighting System in the spring, and then debuted HomeKit support for the lighting range in the fall, allowing users to easily integrate their IKEA bulbs and switches into the Home app on iOS. The company got inspired by Apple when it launched a new ad campaign for its Qi charging furniture alongside the debut of Apple's foray into wireless charging with the iPhone X, 8, and 8 Plus in September 2017.

Article Link: Sonos and IKEA Reveal Prototypes for 'Symfonisk' Speakers, Including One That Doubles as a Shelf

 

[KPandian1]

So, will it fall apart in three years - or when I move its location?

 

[M.PaulCezanne]

nah, don’t want to have to build a speaker from scratch using just pictures as instructions.

 

[riverfreak]

Cool idea, but the power cords dangling down the wall look all janky.

IKEA did a good job with their wireless chargers. At least they have a shipping product. Disgraceful that Apple still hasn’t shipped a wireless charger for their flagship device.

Edit: clarified who “they” is. Grammars are hard.

 

[Nuvi]

The fact that Ikea can throw insane amounts of money into reasearch and then due to high volume push the manufacturing costs down should make this interesting. If these are truly Sonos speakers with all the services regular Sonos speakers provide then this can be excellent value proposition.

 

[rhett7660]

The fact that Ikea can throw insane amounts of money into reasearch and then due to high volume push the manufacturing costs down should make this interesting. If these are truly Sonos speakers with all the services regular Sonos speakers provide then this can be excellent value proposition.

I was thinking the same thing and the fact they will integrate with existing Sonos speakers is also a good thing.

 

[AngerDanger]

To clean them, all you have to do is crank up the bass and watch the dust fly off!

 

[jsmith189]

Okay, but... Airplay 2?

 

[BigRed1]

I listened to their current Bluetooth speakers in a store. I was pleasantly surprised by how good they sounded. This could be interesting.

 

[macduke]

Good thing speakers never vibrate and people never put breakable things on shelves.

 

[x-evil-x]

Cool idea, but the power cords dangling down the wall look all janky.

IKEA did a good job with their wireless chargers. At least they have a shipping product. Disgraceful that Apple still hasn’t shipped a wireless charger for their flagship device.

Edit: clarified who “they” is. Grammars are hard.

how do you run wired speakers down a wall anyway? run the cords in the wall if you want. All my speakers are wired running into the wall like the tv cords
[doublepost=1528385920][/doublepost]

Okay, but... Airplay 2?

do you really need that if you have an appletv and a receiver for your surround sound? Never saw the point of airplay two unless you want to control one speaker not a whole surround sound setup that is running to a receiver.

 

[pukrnukr]

do you really need that if you have an appletv and a receiver for your surround sound? Never saw the point of airplay two unless you want to control one speaker not a whole surround sound setup that is running to a receiver.

If the only room you want to listen to music in is the room with the surround sound, then you don’t need airplay 2 or Sonos. Some people want to have music playing in multiple rooms, without just cranking up one source. Also able to control different music in different locations. Not sure if airplay 2 does that but Sonos does, no matter which device started playing music any other device with the Sonos app can control it. Hopefully these sound good and are priced reasonably so I can add to my Sonos setup!

 

[nutmac]

Cool idea, but the power cords dangling down the wall look all janky.

IKEA did a good job with their wireless chargers. At least they have a shipping product. Disgraceful that Apple still hasn’t shipped a wireless charger for their flagship device.

The cord I can put up with (I can get a cord management tape), but I expected it to look more subtle. More like a shelf. And speaking of Qi charging, this speaker cries out for integrated Qi charger.

 

[sracer]

I'm looking forward to these. Pity the IKEA TV failed to appear.

 

[Nuvi]

The cord I can put up with (I can get a cord management tape), but I expected it to look more subtle. More like a shelf. And speaking of Qi charging, this speaker cries out for integrated Qi charger.

If they are releasing it in 2019 then it’s highly likely that they are currently only presenting dummy boxes with possible tech inside but no industrial design. I wouldn’t be surprised if integration is done so that you can’t even see the sound source. You just hear the music. I kind of like that idea.

Anyway, Apple needs to do some serious moves with their speakers (plural) if they want to stay competitive. IMHO Apple also needs to have aggressive value proposition. Especially when you have likes of Amazon, Google and now Sonos+Ikea. These guys can crank up the volume so high that they make money even with very small margins.

 

[jsmith189]

do you really need that if you have an appletv and a receiver for your surround sound? Never saw the point of airplay two unless you want to control one speaker not a whole surround sound setup that is running to a receiver.

I have a Sonos 5 in my living room, a Sonos 3 in my bedroom, and a Sonos 1 in the bathroom. I want to be able to group those together with the HomePod I have in the study. Apple TV and/or a surround sound receiver won't really help me with that haha.

 

[MrkJensen]

Ikea should stick with the meatballs.

 

[x-evil-x]

I have a Sonos 5 in my living room, a Sonos 3 in my bedroom, and a Sonos 1 in the bathroom. I want to be able to group those together with the HomePod I have in the study. Apple TV and/or a surround sound receiver won't really help me with that haha.

if you had an appletv hooked up to your tv in each room it would. I have surround sound in every room with a receiver so never saw the need for one speaker for any room. my appletv is connected to each room on a hdmi switch

 

[mellofello]

These will hopefully be a cheap way to add rear surrounds for those with the play bar, or new Beam bar. I like the moves Sonos is making. I will probably get a Onkyo receiver next so that I can intergrate it with my Sonos system


https://www.theverge.com/circuitbre...nkyo-receiver-sonos-app-integra-pioneer-elite