Samsung Charts Future of Sound

Samsung and HARMAN are highlighting the future of connected audio as JBL marks its 80th anniversary, Bowers & Wilkins celebrates 60 years, and the Samsung-HARMAN partnership reaches its 10-year milestone in 2026. In an interview published by Samsung Newsroom on Oct. 26, HARMAN executives discussed the brands’ histories and the development of more personalized sound experiences.

Dave Rogers, president of HARMAN’s Lifestyle Division, said JBL has expanded from professional audio and cinemas into festivals, automobiles, homes, headphones and portable speakers. He described the JBL 4310 studio monitor and L100 loudspeaker as examples of the company’s effort to bring professional audio technology to consumers.

Bowers & Wilkins has pursued a different approach centered on acoustic accuracy. Its 801 loudspeaker became a reference monitor at Abbey Road Studios, while the Nautilus speaker emerged from years of research into reducing unwanted vibration and sound within speaker cabinets.

The executives said future audio systems will rely more heavily on artificial intelligence and connectivity to understand users’ environments, preferences and activities. They envisioned connected experiences in which Galaxy devices, vehicles and homes adapt to users throughout the day, reducing the need to manually manage apps, settings and audio modes.

Samsung and HARMAN have previously integrated HARMAN’s AKG audio expertise into Galaxy products and combined Samsung’s display and connected-ecosystem capabilities with HARMAN’s automotive technology in digital cockpits. The companies said their long-term focus is on making technology less visible while improving the emotional and practical impact of sound.