Samsung Acquires Denon, Marantz, Bowers & Wilkins – What It Means for Future Devices
Harman completed the acquisition of several hi‑fi audio brands in 2025, including Denon, Marantz, Polk, Definitive Technology, and Bowers & Wilkins. This acquisition was the latest in a series of such deals, bringing even more high‑end audio brands under the wider Samsung umbrella, as Harman is a subsidiary of the Korean tech giant. The deal closed in September 2025, and Samsung has since shared plans to integrate the expertise of these audio brands into its other devices, including smartphones. This could herald a major audio upgrade for Samsung phones overall.
This is a significant move for Samsung, which has been less aggressive about advertising its audio brands as directly attached to the parent company beyond using their technology within its products. Instead, Samsung has mostly utilized the know‑how of its previously owned companies—including JBL, a favorite of Amazon shoppers—to improve sound tuning and overall capabilities of phones like the Galaxy S26 Ultra, as well as laptops, tablets, wireless headphones, and soundbars.
Now, Samsung plans to do the same with technology from Bowers & Wilkins, Marantz, and Denon. These are not small names. The brands Samsung has added remain among the most renowned in the audio industry, all with storied histories. For example, Marantz reportedly created one of the first mass‑adopted CD players in the 1980s.
The Acquisition Brings a Lot to the Table for Samsung
Although the acquisition officially closed in 2025, Samsung has not yet advertised much about its use of technology from Bowers & Wilkins or the other brands. However, this is not surprising, given that the deal did not close until just before the end of the year. As such, significant changes across Samsung devices are unlikely until 2027 at the earliest. Regardless, there is no guarantee of exactly how Samsung will incorporate this technology.
When companies bring in new brands and technology, they need to find efficient ways to integrate them. Samsung was likely already working on the design and functionality of its 2026 devices, so it would make sense for consumers not to see the results of this deal until the next generation of products. Companies operate on their own timelines, meaning Samsung must find ways to incorporate Bowers & Wilkins’ technology and know‑how, as well as license those technologies to other brands—something Samsung has been doing with its audio brands for years.
It will be interesting to see how Samsung uses the knowledge and technology from these new brands to upgrade audio experiences across future devices. Samsung remains the top‑rated Android phone brand in customer satisfaction, and these changes may attract even more fans.
