Samsung is buying Audio giant Harman for $8B

[Guest]

Samsung is currently worth over $200 billion which is no surprise given their background in electronics, construction and even military technology

Harman International Industries is one of the most well-known audio giants in the world, they currently handle over 20 audio brands with the likes of AKG and JBL under their belt 

Well, Samsung decided to buy Harman for about $8B in order to control a large portion of the audio market

From the home to the vehicle and all the way to massive cinemas in terms of audio

 

Quote

Samsung Electronics and Harman International Industries, Incorporated today announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement under which Samsung will acquire HARMAN for $112.00 per share in cash, or total equity value of approximately $8.0 billion.  Upon closing, the transaction will immediately give Samsung a significant presence in the large and rapidly growing market for connected technologies, particularly automotive electronics, which has been a strategic priority for Samsung, and is expected to grow to more than $100 billion by 2025¹ . HARMAN is the market leader in connected car solutions, with more than 30 million vehicles currently equipped with its connected car and audio systems, including embedded infotainment, telematics, connected safety and security. Approximately 65% of HARMAN’s $7.0 billion of reported sales during the 12 months ended September 30, 2016 are automotive-related, and its order backlog for this market at June 30, 2016 was approximately $24 billion.

 

I personally like most of the brands Harman handles due to their reliability and sound though they are quite expensive 

I'm waiting to see how Samsung will utilize this opportunity given how they handle their other electronics divisions

 

Quote

As for Harman’s consumer electronics activities, Samsung expects them to “enhance” its mobile, display, virtual reality, and wearable products. That could potentially mean Harman/Kardon-branded Galaxy devices, though Samsung’s brand is definitely strong enough to stand on its own.

 

Sources: Samsung, Android Authority 

[BiscuitMassacre]

I hope they do if for money and don't actually affect their products... That'd really be a bummer if hardcore AKG fans had a different market.

[FloRolf]

10 minutes ago, BiscuitMassacre said:

I hope they do if for money and don't actually affect their products... That'd really be a bummer if hardcore AKG fans had a different market.

I hope for the same. Not that @Dackzy's head gets blown off when he decides to expand his akg collection

[cakevreter2000]

i hope they won't explode JK  

[BiscuitMassacre]

15 minutes ago, cakevreter2000 said:

i hope they won't explode JK  

Breaking News:

 

Samsung kills off half of the population by creating explosive mines that 4 million people placed on the sides of their heads. There is a lawsuit right now, trying to sue the company as we speak. 

[Dackzy]

38 minutes ago, FloRolf said:

I hope for the same. Not that @Dackzy's head gets blown off when he decides to expand his akg collection

oi m8, some of us has a good taste in headphones  

 

I really hope Samsung doesn't fuck this up, if they do then I will hunt them down.

[Dackzy]

I guess that I need to run out and buy some K812, K553 and some K712

[VerticalDiscussions]

Just for cars .-.?

 

Theyr phones/tablets need better audio, because theyr current one SUCKS a looooot!

[Bouzoo]

I am really on the fence here. Samsung devices that might be better than LG V20 when it comes to sound? Sign me up. Samsung owning H&K, AKG and JBL? Don't like that. At least I might now buy a Samsung Nautilus speaker one day. Imagine that. 

 

I can already see the jokes, "Your phone explosion never sounded so good".

[BiscuitMassacre]

20 minutes ago, Bouzoo said:

I am really on the fence here. Samsung devices that might be better than LG V20 when it comes to sound? Sign me up. Samsung owning H&K, AKG and JBL? Don't like that. At least I might now buy a Samsung Nautilus speaker one day. Imagine that. 

 

I can already see the jokes, "Your phone explosion never sounded so good".

"That song from your Samsung speaker really tore me apart. It just knocked me off my feet!"

[zMeul]

2 hours ago, BiscuitMassacre said:

I hope they do if for money and don't actually affect their products...

Harman's main income isn't even coming from consumer audio: https://files.shareholder.com/downloads/HAR/2012698536x0x888315/466F333D-DFCC-4528-908D-07A4BBCBB353/HARMAN_Press_Release_Q316_Final.pdf

[Wolther]

3 hours ago, BiscuitMassacre said:

"That song from your Samsung speaker really tore me apart. It just knocked me off my feet!"

Take note kids, this is how you make explosive bass

[BiscuitMassacre]

1 minute ago, Wolther said:

Take note kids, this is how you make explosive bass

Booming sounds you can NOTEice.

[Red Hardware]

https://news.samsung.com/global/samsung-electronics-to-acquire-harman-accelerating-growth-in-automotive-and-connected-technologies

Hi

Harman International Industries !!!!!

 

I can't belive that !!  

 

 

 

Quote

• Audio:  HARMAN’s leading brands and cutting-edge audio systems include JBL®, Harman Kardon®, Mark Levinson®, AKG®, Lexicon®, Infinity®, and Revel®.  The company also licenses Bowers & Wilkins® and Bang & Olufsen® brands for automotive.  All of these brands will greatly enhance the competitiveness of Samsung’s mobile, display, virtual reality and wearable products to deliver a fully differentiated audio and visual experience for customers.

All of these brands !! They are part of Samsung now !! Awesome move by Samsung . 

Their new galaxy's , TVs etc should have great sound quality .

[potoooooooo]

It's a good thing AKG is already as good as dead, it'd be difficult for it to get any worse for them

[suicidalfranco]

1 hour ago, Red Hardware said:

https://news.samsung.com/global/samsung-electronics-to-acquire-harman-accelerating-growth-in-automotive-and-connected-technologies

Hi

Harman International Industries !!!!!

 

I can't belive that !!  

 

 

 

All of these brands !! They are part of Samsung now !! Awesome move by Samsung . 

Their new galaxy's , TVs etc should have great sound quality .

holly shit even B&O!?

 

[Dackzy]

7 hours ago, suicidalfranco said:

holly shit even B&O!?

 

B&O is shit anyways. Super overpriced for the audio quality you get. 

 

7 hours ago, potoooooooo said:

It's a good thing AKG is already as good as dead, it'd be difficult for it to get any worse for them

what are you talking about? 

[Magnetorheological]

My main concern is AKG...hope their products don't receive a slip in quality. Also hopeful that Samsung will use this acquisition to put better audio into their smartphones.

[MilkJugg24]

Probably for Home Theatre Systems.

 

Or maybe they'll finally upgrade their atrocious basic earbuds that come with their phones.

[potoooooooo]

4 hours ago, Dackzy said:

B&O is shit anyways. Super overpriced for the audio quality you get. 

 

what are you talking about? 

AKG is made in China, Harman moved them entirely out of Austria for good. Only design is located in Europe still, and not even all of it.

 

AKG is nothing like what it used to be. My AKG collection stops in the 80s, their new stuff is mediocre at best, the K7xx being an exception. But that's still Mid-fi hell

[Red Hardware]

44 minutes ago, potoooooooo said:

AKG is made in China, Harman moved them entirely out of Austria for good. Only design is located in Europe still, and not even all of it.

 

AKG is nothing like what it used to be. My AKG collection stops in the 80s, their new stuff is mediocre at best, the K7xx being an exception. But that's still Mid-fi hell

Hi

All of Apple Iphones are made in china , so ... ???

[That Norwegian Guy]

5 hours ago, Dackzy said:

what are you talking about? 

After AKG had their production moved to China, a huge subset of internet elitists have gotten into the habit of bashing everything they do even though with the questionable loss in quality in some of the newer products came savings for the end customer, leaving AKG to still have product quality in line with their pricing. Then after a hard day of bitching and moaning said internet elitists put on their shitty Sennheiser gaming headsets and listen to Pink Floyd to troll another day.

[Dackzy]

45 minutes ago, potoooooooo said:

AKG is made in China, Harman moved them entirely out of Austria for good. Only design is located in Europe still, and not even all of it.

 

AKG is nothing like what it used to be. My AKG collection stops in the 80s, their new stuff is mediocre at best, the K7xx being an exception. But that's still Mid-fi hell

The production location has nothing to do with quality, AKG is still very strict with their quality.

So you are calling the K812 and the K872 for mediocre, I just think they changed the sound signature and you are not a fan of that. The K712 are better than the K7xx IMO, and yes there is a difference between them