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Background
Bang & Olufsen, often stylized B&O, was founded in 1925 in Struer, Denmark by engineers Peter Bang and Svend Olufsen. In the early days of the company, they put a lot of effort into making a radio that didn't require batteries and could be plugged into a wall outlet.
In 1926, they invented a product called the Eliminator, a financial success. Buoyed by the profit, they built a factory in Struer and developed products with similar design and top-of-the-line technology for the era such as the Hyperbo and Beolit series, both of which helped B&O establish their premium brand image.
During World War II, B&O management did not cooperate with Nazi Germany, and the company was devastated by the Nazi SS. After the war, the factory and other products were rebuilt. And until 1955, the company was still producing electric razors instead of the radios it had previously made. In 1957, under the influence of designer Yves Fabiansen, the company took the opportunity to get back on its feet by developing various radios and televisions. In the 1990s, it opened its own stores instead of dealerships and devoted itself to developing premium all-in-one audio products once more, abandoning the separate audio business it had previously developed and sold.
However, starting in the late 2000s, sales plummeted from approximately 500 million kroner to around 200 million kroner due to the 2008 global financial crisis, entering a period of stagnation. In addition, with the launch of the iPhone by Apple, smartphones began to become widespread, and people began to ignore standalone audio devices such as MP3 players and DVD recorders. In response, Bang & Olufsen closed down unprofitable businesses such as MP3 players, created the sub-brand 'B&O PLAY' targeting young people, and expanded its lineup of portable speakers, earphones, and headphones.
In 2005, it entered the car audio market and began installing its products in luxury vehicles. Thanks to the growth of 'Beoplay', it successfully revived its business and increased sales, a trend continuing today.
In June 2015, it formed a premium audio partnership with HP, installing speakers in notebooks and laptops such as the Pavilion series. And in July of that year, it sold its car audio division to the Harman Group. In 2017, it formed an audio partnership with LG Electronics and began producing audio tuning for mobile devices and basic earphones.
