Compact, pop, intuitive, accessible and even modular. Ikea's new Bluetooth speaker is called Kallsup and is designed as a system rather than a product. It was designed by Ola Wihlborg, a Swedish product designer who has put her signature on several items from the Swedish giant over the years, including the PS series lamp, now discontinued but still loved by collectors and sold online for up to 1,200 euros.
The Kallsup speaker is a cube with a seven-and-a-half-inch side that fits perfectly in one hand. It rests on four feet; on one face a grille that emits sound, on another a button for power and one for play/pause, on another face the Usb-C input for charging. The colors are white, shocking pink or lime green, the cost is about ten dollars in the U.S., about five euros in Europe. But what really makes the difference is the possibility of pairing a Kallsup speaker with another one of the same kind, up to a hundred pieces, creating a true amplification system
So the object is worth not only for what it is, but for its ability to function as a module and generate customizable compositions, as is the case with the brand's kitchens or walk-in closets.
Ikea has just unveiled it at Ces in Las Vegas, one of the most important tech events in the world, where the small object surprised mainly by the volume it can produce despite its compact size. To pair two or more with each other, no apps are needed, just a simple combination of keys.
The object is not only valuable for what it is, but for its ability to function as a module and generate customizable compositions.
After years of collaboration with Sonos, which gave rise to previous Ikea-branded music products, for the first time all of Kallsup's components have been developed in-house. Of the product, which will be available in beloved stores starting this spring, the battery is replaceable, a choice that is by no means obvious considering the offerings on the market, but entirely in line with the "Ikea method" that has never changed and that covers products from the design phase, to production, to distribution to disposal and perpetuates that approach that has made Scandinavian design great, with a focus on both comfort and sustainability.