Zuma launches combined AirPlay 2 smart speaker and ceiling light

AppleInsider · May 13, 2021 4:21AM

Initially offered in the UK, the Zuma Lumisonic is a ceiling light fixture that incorporates a smart speaker with AirPlay 2.

Zuma is an AirPlay 2 smart speaker and a ceiling light fixture

New UK and San Francisco-based technology firm Zuma has launched Lumisonic, a voice-controlled smart speaker that comes as part of a ceiling light fixture. Alongside the loudspeaker, it features a low energy LED light that the makers claim creates a circadian rhythm and mood lighting experience.

"There are many smart products on the market today that do one thing - be that audio, or lighting or security - they don't integrate with each other easily, if at all," said Morten Warren, founder and CEO of Zuma in a press statement. "Our vision is that through consolidating these core applications into a single integrated platform people can easily transform their living spaces in imaginative ways."

"Zuma doesn't just provide a totally new way to experience incredibly immersive high-performance lighting and superior audio, it discreetly becomes part of your home," he continued. "Users can connect iPhone, iPad, or TV and enjoy a thrilling, edge of their seat, room-filling soundtrack to any movie, with no sound bar required, from anywhere in the room."

Zuma's iPhone app

At launch, Zuma is aiming at both individual home users, and property developers. It's sold initially in the UK for 375 ($520), though a light-only version is due in the summer for 125 ($173). It's available via the company's zuma.ai site.

Zuma Lumisonic supports AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect, and works with Alexa. The company says that HomeKit support is being worked on, though there is no definite release date yet. Similarly, US distribution is planned but no dates have been confirmed.

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esquirecats · May 13, 2021 10:49AM

Combined light/speaker systems aren't a new idea, but I've always found them a curiosity to who the buyer might be.

Consumers:

It takes the audio system from a space where there is ample room (living area) and places it somewhere there typically isn't (ceiling cavity.)
It costs more than having the components separately, while also sacrificing audio quality.
It takes two personal decisions (lighting and sound system) into a single product - I daresay one or the other won't be correct for many, even if they did like the idea of a combined unit.

Business/Corporate/Retail:

They typically will have the large ceiling voids needed to fit these, but not the desire to have a combined system (because that space allows for the easy roll out of a wired system.)
The product cost is again way more than the individual parts, while sacrificing control to not-always-perfect wireless protocols.

Then there are other curiosities, like syncing them to play in unison or binaural playback. The lack of homekit support (it's 2021 already) and as alluded above, the temperamental nature of wireless audio.

dope_ahmine · May 13, 2021 2:01PM

EsquireCats said:

Combined light/speaker systems …the temperamental nature of wireless audio.

Yeah, audio has a strange tendency to be temperamental.

chadbag · May 13, 2021 3:57PM

Good luck with the price.

tokyojimu · May 13, 2021 5:32PM

Ceiling lights are typically on a wall switch. But when you turn off the light you would also be cutting power to the AirPlay 2 receiver.

maestro64 · May 13, 2021 7:55PM

^ I really hate you guys, you peed on this before I even had chance to enjoy the idea's for few minutes.

We're building a new house and I have been struggling how best to deal with whole home audio, we talked about homepod everywhere but Apple killed off the original and small one is no where as good as original, I looked at speakers everywhere connected to one or multiply atv via an amplifier and speaker matrix, there is a speaker matrix that supports airplay 2 but it's costly. Then we did not want speaker grills all over our house, this would have been good idea, but as it was pointed out, what about power, and it is probably not good light or speaker.

Now homekit the lights and airplay 2 the speakers this could work.

edited May 2021

strangedays · May 13, 2021 11:03PM

Their CEO says “no sound bar required” - yeah instead you just need multiple $500 recessed ceiling speakers installed. So much easier…not.

No HomeKit? No sale.

dope_ahmine · May 14, 2021 3:42AM

maestro64 said:

^ I really hate you guys, you peed on this before I even had chance to enjoy the idea's for few minutes.

We're building a new house and I have been struggling how best to deal with whole home audio, we talked about homepod everywhere but Apple killed off the original and small one is no where as good as original, I looked at speakers everywhere connected to one or multiply atv via an amplifier and speaker matrix, there is a speaker matrix that supports airplay 2 but it's costly. Then we did not want speaker grills all over our house, this would have been good idea, but as it was pointed out, what about power, and it is probably not good light or speaker.

Now homekit the lights and airplay 2 the speakers this could work.

Yeah, we are in the same situation and had also planned to buy a whole bunch of HomePods. Now I have a hard time finding decent wireless speakers with Airplay 2 / HomeKit, especially ones that don’t mess our interior deco up to much. So please, share any findings maestr64.

ihatescreennames · May 16, 2021 3:00AM

We are also building a new house. We built one in 2012 and had wired speakers installed in the ceiling in a couple of rooms as well as on our covered porch. When we finished our basement we added more in the theater and exercise rooms. I connected the speakers to a standard receiver with an Airport Express connected to that. It works great. However, our original decision makes it difficult and costly to continue the system into other rooms.

Dropping a HomePod into a room that doesn’t already have speakers build it is a nice option. Having a HomePod stereo pair in the same room as our ceiling speakers really sounds good.

We like the flexibility of adding a HomePod or two to any room we please, so when we started planning the new house built-in speakers were not in the plan. Now that Apple has discontinued HomePod we have started to change our stance.

Having built-in speakers that work with any decent receiver seems like the better way to go. It’s pretty easy to find an AirPlay 2, multi-room receiver so we aren’t losing (much) functionality. We also aren’t subject to being left high and dry if Apple decides to stop supporting or discontinuing a product like HomePod.

Don’t get me wrong, we have several HomePods and HomePod minis and use them all the time. I plan to purchase more and, yes, I realize my original HomePods still work and will continue to work. I just don’t want to rely on Apple’s whimsy to future-proof my home audio.

These lights with speakers are intriguing. I would like to see a review of them sometime soon (our build is in progress and moving quickly) but I’m not holding my breath. I’m also curious if they fit into existing recessed lighting cans. I would be handy to be able to swap them out.

Zuma launches combined AirPlay 2 smart speaker and ceiling light

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