What is the most iconic design from Harman/Kardon? Well, it had to be the SoundSticks, right? Now, imagine the SoundSticks design language being applied to a smartphone? Can’t imagine that? Well, you don’t have to because, industrial designer James Tsai already did.
![Concept Harman Kardon Smartphone by James Tsai](https://d2cdo4blch85n8.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Concept-Harman-Kardon-Smartphone-by-James-Tsai-image-1-1024x768.jpg)
Folks meet the Concept Harman/Kardon Smartphone by James Tsai. And holy shit, it is beautiful! Drawing inspiration from the U.S.-based longtime audio equipment maker’s iconic SoundSticks, Tsai came up with an audio-focused concept phone featuring a translucent hump back with a large speaker, partially recessed, right smack in the center.
![Concept Harman Kardon Smartphone by James Tsai](https://d2cdo4blch85n8.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Concept-Harman-Kardon-Smartphone-by-James-Tsai-image-2.jpg)
This design maximizes airflow through the speaker and providing an omnidirectional music experience. The large speaker on the back has complex tiny holes that are a nod to of the original Harman/Kardon 60 degrees slash icon.
In Tsai’s proposition, it has a lone rear-facing camera with flash on a sleek camera bump and a dual hole punch camera can be found on the slightly curved edge-to-edge display. A clear statement that imaging ain’t its focus, music is. Speaking of music, the designer even gave this concept music phone a music enjoyment-focused UI. Lovely.
![Concept Harman Kardon Smartphone by James Tsai](https://d2cdo4blch85n8.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Concept-Harman-Kardon-Smartphone-by-James-Tsai-image-3-1024x768.jpg)
Images: James Tsai.