LG XBOOM Team Adds Portable Bluetooth, ThinQ Smart Speakers

LG is perhaps best known for smartphones, TVs, and a few home appliances. It might not exactly be that popular for speakers. It has been trying to turn that around, with partnerships with Bang & Olufsen for smartphone headphones and Meridian for its bigger audio products. At IFA 2018, it will be making some noise, literally too, with its expanded and slightly rebranded lineup of XBOOM speakers, some of which you might have already seen, or rather heard of, before.

Don't be surprised if you get a sense of deja vu. Some of these products have actually been making rounds in news as far back as late 2017 when LG unveiled its CES 2018 audio roster. That includes the XBOOM Go line of portable Bluetooth speakers, the PK3, PK5, and PK7, all of which boast Meridian's advanced audio technology.

The more tech-savvy IFA crowd, however, might gravitate more towards the WK7 and WK9, now under the LG XBOOM AI ThinQ speaker brand. The WK7 is the same cylindrical smart speaker revealed last January while the WK9 is LG's entry into the new Smart Display market. And, being LG, both house Google Assistant for your hands-free convenience.

LG does also have some more "traditional" speakers up for show next week. The XBOOM CK99 mini component's size belies its 1,800-watt output while the XBOOM OK99 all-in-one includes a Pro DJ Wheel to let you live out your DJ dreams at home. And despite its size, the OK99 can still be moved around thanks to its Grab & Move handle and caster.