LG Plans CES Debut of ‘Music Flow’ Wi-Fi Speakers and Soundbars

LG plans to use CES to demonstrate its first battery-powered portable Wi-Fi speaker, the NP8350, plus three more Wi-Fi speakers and three new upgraded Wi-Fi soundbars, the company said. The speakers are designed to be compatible with Android and iOS devices and allow consumers to build a custom home audio systems that can be controlled through LG's Music Flow mobile app. Unlike other Bluetooth speakers, streaming to a Music Flow Wi-Fi Series speaker from a smartphone continues uninterrupted when receiving a call, LG said. In “home cinema mode,” users can wirelessly connect two Music Flow speakers to the Wi-Fi soundbar as rear left and right channels, it said. Each speaker can be individually set to match the desired environment based on the speaker's position, it said. An “auto music play” feature gives LG Music Flow the ability to deliver a user experience “that maximizes convenience for listeners on the go,” it said. Music on a smartphone will automatically begin playing on a Music Flow Wi-Fi speaker when the phone comes within one foot, it said. “So a user could be listening to music on headphones on the subway ride home but the music will begin playing automatically from the living room Wi-Fi Sound Bar when the user enters the living room.” LG said it thinks the products in its Music Flow Wi-Fi Series epitomize “what a smart audio system should be capable of in the 21st century."