Docking Speakers To Diversify At CES

By Joseph Palenchar On Dec 20 2010 - 6:01am

NEW YORK – Dealers going to International CES will find a growing selection of iPad-docking speaker systems, high-end iPod speaker systems, and powered tabletop speaker systems that stream music wirelessly from PCs and mobile devices.

At least one company, iHome, will show a speaker system that streams music via Wi-Fi from iPads, iPhones, iPod Touches, PCs and Macs equipped with Apple’s Air- Play technology. Another company will show a tabletop speaker system that uses Bluetooth to stream audio wirelessly from Bluetooth-connected sources.

At least five brands will launch their first iPad speaker systems or three-piece music systems with embedded iPad docks. The iPad systems will join models recently launched by Altec Lansing, Bang & Olufsen, Speaker- Craft, Spectra’s Jensen brand and iHome.

Conventioneers will also find a growing selection of iPad speaker systems with rotating docks to display iPads in portrait or landscape mode. At least four brands will launch their first such models, joining a model launched by Spectra under the Jensen brand late last year.

Some iPad speakers systems will also angle the iPad’s display back to allow for easier typing on the device’s virtual keyboard. Spectra’s Jensen-brand $99.99 JiPS-250i does that, and at least one other company will launch such a product at CES. Another company, Haier, will show a model that angles the iPad’s display back until it’s parallel with the floor.

High-end one-piece iPod/iPhone speaker systems priced up to $599 from one supplier and $399 from another will also appear, joining current $599 models from SpeakerCraft, Bowers & Wilkins, and Bose and a $999 model with CD from Bang & Olufsen.

Dealers will also find more docking speakers sold with free apps to add features without having to raise hardware prices.