Harman acquires audio technology platform Roon to beef up connectivity capability

[Courtesy of Harman]

SEOUL -- Harman, the audio and electric parts wing of Samsung Electronics, has acquired Roon, an American audio platform company that specializes in connectivity and streaming technology, in a bid to beef up the company's future smart car infotainment system capabilities.

Harman, formerly known as Harman International, was acquired by Samsung in 2016. The company focuses on the connectivity of electronic devices such as hardware used in vehicles' infotainment systems. Connectivity is considered the main aspect of future smart cars because many car parts and on-road structures such as traffic light poles and digital road signs communicate with each other wirelessly and it is important for hardware to maintain their connectivity for safe driving.

Without disclosing the exact amount, Harman said that the company acquired Roon. "The team at Roon shares our passion in bringing exceptional sound and connectivity to music lovers as they browse, discover, and listen at home and on the go. We are looking forward to welcoming Roon, whose impressive talent will join the HARMAN family and bolster our already robust engineering capabilities," Harman's Lifestyle Division President Dave Rogers said in a statement released on November 28.

According to Harman, Roon will continue to work as a standalone business division with its existing team after the acquisition. "All Roon operations will stay in place and continue to be dedicated to serving and growing Roon’s community of device partners and customers, under a joint mission to deliver engaging and personalized audio experiences across a universe of products and platforms," Harman said.

"By combining forces with Harman, Roon gains the incredible scale, resources, and reach of a global technology leader, while maintaining our independence to invest in the business’s growth and future. We look forward to continuing to bring our advanced data management, SaaS expertise, and consumer engagement capabilities to our broad ecosystem of partners, as we join forces with Harman to deliver even greater audio experiences to our customers," Roon CEO Enno Vandermeer said.