Harman acquires Rune: What does this mean for parent company Samsung?
Technology
Samsung-owned HARMAN has acquired Roon, a music management platform that launched in 2015 and integrates streaming, audio and internet radio services. Recall that in March 2017, Samsung bought HARMAN, the owner of such famous brands as Harman Kardon, AKG, JBL, Mark Levinson, Revel, Infinity and Lexicon. Roon, which costs $150 (about Rs. 12,500) a year, allows users to stream music to hi-fi devices on their network using a dedicated app on a computer, phone or tablet.
The music management platform is very popular in the hi-fi industry.
Rune is very popular among hi-fi enthusiasts and industry insiders. The program is easy to use and serves as a tool for organizing, grouping and searching for music. It even offers a free trial to potential customers. With over 1,000 products from nearly 200 audio brands compatible with the platform, users can easily browse, organize and play their entire music collection on all their devices. Major players like JBL and Mark Levinson are among Ron's endorsements.
Roon supports a variety of devices.
Roon offers apps for a variety of devices, including DACs, smartphones, laptops, PCs, smart TVs, Wi-Fi speakers and USB players. Its platform includes AirPlay, Chromecast, Internet Radio, Rune Ready, Sonos, Tidal, and more. supported by various audio technologies such as In addition, Rune launched its own line of music server hardware called Nucleus. The platform features patented multi-room simulcast audio technology that provides two-way control, supports 768Hz PCM and DSD512 playback, and includes hardware certification.
Impact of Acquisition on Roon Customers
HARMAN's acquisition of Roon will not have any significant impact on existing customers. "Run will operate as a separate division of Harman with its existing team," according to a Harman press release. Roon Labs founder Enno Vandermeer assured his followers in a community forum post that "Roon will continue to operate as before," with no changes to membership, billing processes, hardware support, or customer service.
Rune is excited about future growth under HARMAN's leadership,
and VanderMeer expressed his excitement about the acquisition, saying it's time for a new chapter for Rune and its fans. He understands the challenges startups face and the importance of balancing customer service and operational stability. "In our new role under the Harman umbrella, we can rely on our vision without the pressure," said VanderMeer.
Samsung is looking forward to increasing its presence in the digital music sector
. As mentioned earlier, Roon's open hardware ecosystem partners with over 200 audio brands providing audio for over 1,000 modern devices. HARMAN's acquisition of Samsung's Roon shows the company is looking to strengthen its presence in the digital music sector. With this acquisition, the South Korean brand now has a high-tech music streaming platform, a multi-room audio system and a music search engine. The company can integrate it into all smart TVs, smartphones and various other audio devices.
