Devialet, the maker of high-end speakers that pins a price of over $1,000 for their Phantom reactor 900, teamed up with telecommunications equipment giant Huawei to design a new smart speaker, the Huawei Sound X.

The joining of forces ended up in a melange of technologies, namely Devialet's 60-watt double subwoofer and 360-degree sound along with its speaker active matching (SAM) and Huawei's applications and services.

The smart speaker achieves a better sound quality with reduced distortion thanks to SAM, which, according to Devialet, can "achieve perfect temporal alignment between the recorded signal and the acoustic pressure generated by your loudspeakers."

And the range of control and interconnectivity is made available through the integration of Huawei's technology, including the smart home platform HiLink, Huawei's voice assistant Xiaoyi and support for Huawei music, Engadget reported.

It is equipped with six microphones that work on voice command with controls at the top of the speaker. It can pick up voice commands from five meters away, which users can use for ordering Huawei's HiLink to adjust lighting, open or close curtains, turning on and off their air purifiers and activating robot cleaners. And best of all, users can call out to it and play some good music.

Devialet is a French company renowned not just for its technology, but also for the premium designs of its speakers. Its Phantom Reactor, at first glance, may not resemble a speaker, but more like a robot straight out of a "Star Wars" movie. And the same kind of design is also evident in the pill-shaped Sound X.

But despite Devialet being in the high-end speakers game, the Sound X will retail for only RMB 1,999 or $285. However, there are no reports that sales of the new smart speaker will go beyond the Chinese market.

This partnership with Huawei is Devialet's first partnership in Asia. The company tweeted what their CEO Frank Lebouchard had to say about the team-up, writing, "By partnering with @Huawei to unleash the full potential of #HuaweiSoundX we continue to bring our best-in-class audio technologies to an even wider audience globally."

The smart speaker will become available for purchase starting Dec. 5.

Huawei has emerged as a key protagonist in the wider US-China trade war that has seen tit-for-tat tariffs imposed on hundreds of billions of dollars worth of goods
Huawei has emerged as a key protagonist in the wider US-China trade war that has seen tit-for-tat tariffs imposed on hundreds of billions of dollars worth of goods AFP / STEFAN WERMUTH
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