The newest member of the IKEA Bluetooth speaker range is called VAPPEBY, and is a portable speaker lamp designed to bring music to the outer parts of the home, the reason why it is water splash resistant. It is also the first Bluetooth speaker with Spotify Tap on the market, allowing users to resume the last song or playlist from a single button.
The VAPPEBY is a rechargeable design with a battery life that lasts 12 hours with the light on, featuring a built-in LED bulb with two different light modes. Following what it seems to be a Scandinavian trend to design portable omnidirectional speakers (360 sound) that are also a lamp - it must be because it's almost always dark half of the time in these countries - the new IKEA design was not intended to compete with the latest SYMFONISK table lamp speaker, which is AC powered. See also the Transparent Light Speaker for a possible comparison, a more expensive but great sounding unit.
According to IKEA the VAPPEBY is IP65 rated, meaning dust and water splash resistance, and its lantern was inspired also by lanterns, the reason why it features a grip-friendly handle. This makes it a handy partner both in the life at home and on the go.
But the new IKEA speaker lamp is also the first-ever speaker to feature an integrated Spotify Tap function, making it the first collaboration on a product between the two Swedish brands. Spotify Tap could be found until now in popular true wireless earbuds, the latest example being the new Sony LinkBuds, and it basically offers a software-define physical button which helps users resume their last existing music selection, without the need to look at the desktop player or mobile app. With the simple press of a button or each following press of the button, will signal Spotify to switch things up by finding and playing the next track.
"At Spotify, we want to be a part of people’s habits, of every moment in their lives. I think we share that with IKEA,” says Nils Montan, Product Lead at Spotify. ”It should be easy to listen to what you want, anywhere at any time, and Spotify Tap makes it much more simple."
"We see VAPPEBY as an essential companion for the balcony, in the garden, or wherever it is needed. Sound and light go hand in hand when creating magical everyday moments with friends and family. Two different light modes, long battery life, and good durability will help set a proper mode,” says Stjepan Begic, product owner (manager) working with sound products at IKEA of Sweden.
"It was a perfect match. Imagine how great it is to get another suggestion through a simple press of a button at a party or gathering," adds Stjepan. "It removes the pressure to be a DJ or the risk of somebody having to dive into their phone to change the music, only to get stuck on some text message and disappear from the moment."
Of course, VAPPEBY works with other streaming services or audio stored locally on the connected device. "Spotify Tap came halfway into the development of VAPPEBY, but integrating it wasn’t much of an issue. It’s an added perk for Spotify users, but won’t affect the listening experience for anyone without an account."
The speaker charges with USB-C, and it will be available in blue and grey in most IKEA markets from April. The Spotify Tap function will be available in all Spotify markets. No assembly is required.
www.spotify.com
www.ikea.com
