In 2017, Sonos announced that it was partnering with IKEA to create a new series of products that combined Sonos speakers with IKEA-designed furniture.
And yesterday on April 8, these two companies unveiled the first fruits of their collaboration. They introduced the SYMFONISK table lamp speaker and SYMFONISK bookshelf speaker, both equipped with Sonos-compatible Wi-Fi speakers.
The idea is to hide those speakers in shelves and lamps so you’re surrounded by speakers without even noticing them.
The SYMFONISK table lamp:
First, let’s discuss the SYMFONISK table lamp with built-in WiFi speaker that features a really striking design. It comes with a plastic base, a fabric cover surrounding the speaker portion, and the lampshade and bulb at the top.
The elegant lamp with a speaker means fewer devices and fewer cords make it easier to have speakers throughout your home, without cluttering up your home.
There’s a dial on the fabric-covered speaker body that turns it on and off and playback control buttons on the base. The speaker lamp’s shade and fabric-covered exterior are also hackable and were designed to be easily removable.
Moreover, the audio quality from the table lamp speaker is going to be about the same as a Sonos One. It comes equipped with two class-D digital amplifiers, a tweeter, and a mid-woofer.
The SYMFONISK bookshelf speaker:
Next, there is the SYMFONISK bookshelf speaker. The WiFi Bookshelf Speaker looks pretty neat. It is a speaker that can be mounted horizontally or vertically on the wall. The speaker can act like a little shelf in your home and supports up 6.6 pounds of weight.
It also has two class-D digital amplifiers and a built-in tweeter and a mid-woofer, just like the speaker lamp.
“Creating atmosphere and convenience are central in the creation of the IKEA Home Smart concept, and the SYMFONISK range is perfectly designed with that in mind. IKEA is always looking for ideas that improve life at home. By integrating technology with home furnishing products and solutions we can do that in an even better way”, says Björn Block, Business Leader for IKEA Home Smart at IKEA of Sweden.
The only thing that bothers is that both SYMFONISK table-lamp-speaker and a bookshelf don’t have any smarts. Neither has a built-in microphone and as a result, don’t support Amazon’s Alexa or the Google Assistant. And the Table Lamp doesn’t come with a smart light bulb.
Additionally, the speakers are also compatible with other Sonos speakers. You will be able to control them with Sonos’ app, allowing each speaker to be fully integrated as part of a multiroom audio setup. They will be available in black or white.
Well, right now both products appear to be solid speakers that serve dual functions. But, the real test will be done in August when both of them go on sale at IKEA.
