BARCELONA, Spain--(BUSINESS WIRE)--HARMAN International Industries Incorporated (NYSE:HAR), the premier connected technologies company for automotive, consumer and enterprise markets, announced today that it will expand its relationship with Brightstar Corp., the world’s largest specialized wireless distributor and a leader in innovation and diversified services for the wireless industry.
Following a successful two-year collaboration, including the distribution of JBL products and exclusive Harman Kardon Products (Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 1 & 2 and Harman Kardon Aura Studio) to mobile operators and retailers worldwide, HARMAN will continue to leverage Brightstar to launch exclusive products in the wireless speaker and headphone space. The Harman Kardon Onyx Studio series combines award winning design with an amazing audio performance to deliver authentic, room-sized sound from any compatible hand-held device. The Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 2 and its predecessor received outstanding customer product reviews and were among the best-selling wireless speakers in the U.S.
“Today’s consumer is cutting the strings for an audio experience that is simplified, portable and, of course, always connected,” said Michael Mauser, President of the HARMAN Lifestyle Audio Division. “Brightstar's global infrastructure, deep wireless experience and strong channel relationships make this a critical partnership as we look toward the future and expand the global reach of HARMAN’s superior audio solutions for today’s mobile lifestyle.”
“With HARMAN, wireless consumers worldwide will have the opportunity to experience quality sound whenever and wherever they go by unlocking the audio capabilities of their mobile devices,” said Khalid Zitouni, Vice President, Global Product and Operations at Brightstar. “Our continued work with HARMAN reflects the strength and breadth of our global footprint and channel reach, as well as our proven ability to enable our customers to offer the latest mobile innovations at the moment of purchase.”
HARMAN will work with Brightstar to expand distribution of wireless audio solutions further into new consumer electronics segments, as well as into the telecommunications market. Additionally, HARMAN recently announced the Harman Kardon® Onyx Studio™ 3 full-featured, portable Bluetooth speaker will be available exclusively through SoftBank Group companies Sprint and Brightstar in May 2016. For further information and specifications about the Harman Kardon® Onyx Studio™ line please visit www.harmankardon.com/onyxstudio.
About HARMAN
HARMAN (harman.com) designs and engineers connected products and solutions for automakers, consumers and enterprises worldwide, including connected car systems, audio and visual products, enterprise automation solutions and connected services. With leading brands including AKG®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon®, Mark Levinson® and Revel®, HARMAN is admired by audiophiles, musicians and the entertainment venues where they perform around the world. More than 25 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and connected car systems. The Company's software services power billions of mobile devices and systems that are connected, integrated and secure across all platforms, from work and home to car and mobile. HARMAN has a workforce of approximately 28,000 people across the Americas, Europe, and Asia and reported sales of $6.5 billion during the 12 months ended December 31, 2015. The Company's shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol NYSE:HAR.
About Brightstar
Brightstar, a subsidiary of SoftBank Group Corp., is a leading provider of B2B services to manufacturers, operators, retailers, and enterprises in the wireless industry. With more than 50,000 customers in about 100 countries across six continents Brightstar is firmly positioned at the center of the wireless ecosystem™ enabling it to provide a comprehensive range of innovative services that can be seamlessly integrated across its customers’ end-to-end value chains. As the largest specialized distributor and leading buyback and trade-in provider in the industry, Brightstar extends the reach of wireless while also delivering financial solutions that drive affordability and solutions to protect mobile devices. Brightstar reported global net revenues of approximately $12.1 billion in 2015. For more information, please visit www.Brightstar.com.
© 2016 HARMAN International Industries, Incorporated. All rights reserved. Harman Kardon, Infinity, JBL, Lexicon and Mark Levinson are trademarks of HARMAN International Industries, Incorporated, registered in the United States and/or other countries. AKG is a trademark of AKG Acoustics GmbH, registered in the United States and/or other countries.
