2025 has come and gone, and while things were a bit rocky at the start, we hope that most of you have managed to find some footing. 2026 is now on the horizon and, well, let’s be real, when was the last time anybody had a completely smooth year? We’re not here to think about that right now, though. Instead, let’s gather round and reminisce on all the stories that shaped this year—from the uncertainties we left in the dust, to the breakthrough innovations that carry us on—as we so often like to do.
The Methodology
As per usual, we’re taking a few elements into consideration with this list. Though we’re calling it the top AV and smart home news stories of 2025, view count is only part of the equation. Namely, we’re looking at:
- How much onsite engagement these articles received,
- What potential industry trend/impact they speak to,
- And how relevant they are now.
The goal, hopefully, is to come up with a highlight reel that simultaneously depicts some of the biggest events in the industry this year as perceived by integrators, while also spotlighting topics that seemed to capture everyone’s attention.
So without further explanation, let’s look at the top headlines that helped to define the custom integration industry in 2025.
The Top AV and Smart Home News Stories of 2025
- What’s that Viral JBL Speaker Meme All About?
- TP-Link Assigned to CVE Program Amid Growing U.S. Scrutiny
- TCL, Hisense Hit with Class-Action Lawsuits Over QLED Claims Amid Fierce TV Market Competition
- Shelly’s Gen4 Series Adds First-Ever Touchscreen Control Panel for Better Automations
- Incoming Semiconductor Tariffs Loom Over Electronics
- Bowers & Wilkins, Denon and Marantz Sold to HARMAN for $350 Million
- Snap One, AVA Reach Settlement in Remote Control Infringement
- It’s Official: Streaming is King (and One Provider Rules Over All Others)
- Apple Patent Suggests Company May Look to Pro Channel for Smart Home Installations
- Sonos CEO Patrick Spence Steps Down as Company Looks to Get Back on Track – CEPRO
JBL Gets Some Unintentional Viral Marketing
The first half of this year saw JBL garnering quite a bit of attention for its speakers, though not in the way you would expect. Those entrenched in online culture had begun to poke fun at the profusion of the audiophile brand’s cheaper speaker options, and, like wildfire, everyone ran with the joke.
It’s not often players in this category get to become part of that fleeting cultural zeitgeist on the internet, and JBL, for its part took the ribbings in stride, even playing into some of the jokes to help promote itself among potential future audiophiles just looking for a good laugh browsing Instagram.
TP-Link Put in the Crosshairs
Quite a few brands saw increased scrutiny this year due to ties with the Chinese mainland, and TP-Link was one of them. What made this development so noteworthy, however was that, given its penetration throughout homes, a TP-Link ban would create quite a vacuum in the networking category.
It also put eyes on the notion of cybersecurity as, the vulnerabilities cited by the U.S. government weren’t unique to TP-Link. In fact, looking on a list of disclosed vulnerabilities online, TP-Link’s risk profile mirrored that of plenty other professional solutions, necessitating better etiquette on the part of the installer to shore up defenses.
TCL, Hisense Class Action
Competition in the TV space is usually fierce, with many describing the category as a race to the bottom in terms of profit. Just as TCL and Hisense were ramping up pressure in the market, in came a class action that called into question whether their QLEDs used QLED technology.
In general, 2025 was a busy year for the two brands. Reports at the time had showcased both gaining steam in the premium TV market, and since then, Hisense has made some aggressive plays snatching up former TV execs from competitors in moves that clearly showcase a strategic growth play heading into 2026 and beyond.
Shelly’s Wades into the Custom Integration Channel
Shelly was another one of those brands that saw a ton of developments in pro space this year. Along with the launch of its Gen4 series came the company’s first ever control interface, which, for pros, is some big news.
This then gave way to announcements later in the year that the company would be rolling out a massive set of pro channel resources that included increased distribution, a dedicated dealer program and educational resources, making Shelly one of the more recent companies to really go in on the custom integration channel.
Tariff Jitters Shake the Industry
It’s hard to pick which bit of tariff news to focus on just because for a while there was so much (too much to keep track of sometimes, in my opinion). Regardless, the question on everyone’s mind at the time was: “Okay, so how’s this going to impact my business?”
Electronics were tricky for a while between the tariffs on raw materials, semiconductors, the exemptions for certain parts of the consumer electronics industry, the shifting rate wars between the U.S. and China. I’m getting burnt out just trying to recap everything. It was a lot, let’s just leave it at that, enough to slow things down for a while, and even now, some people are unsure of whether we’ve fully cleared the hurdles they’ve set up.
Harman Bags Three Audiophile Titans
In a sale some people expected to happen (just that the buyer was unknown) Bowers & Wilkins, Denon and Marantz got sold to HARMAN this year. For those keeping tally, that means Samsung has quite a portfolio of home entertainment brands under its belt now.
In truth, people questioned the initial acquisition of the trio by Massimo from day one, however, seeing them sold to HARMAN now has raised a lot of other questions from the industry. It was one of the bigger acquisition shakeups to happen this year and one that merits people keeping their eyes on heading into 2026.
Snap and AVA Settle Infringement Case
What started last year as a clash between the two companies over a potentially infringing remote design has finally been concluded. Of course, terms of the agreement remain confidential to this day, so we’ll likely never know the details other than it happened on mutually agreeable terms, according to AVA.
Still, in the aftermath, AVA Co-Founder Ted Haeger called the outcome a “huge win” for the company, with CEO Raphael Oberholzer saying “Our industry could not have wished for a better outcome. This settlement provides clarity to the market and allows both companies to pursue innovation without limitations.”
The Landscape of Home Entertainment Keeps Shifting
Streaming has been ahead of cable and broadcast for a while now, but this year marked the first time streaming stuffed both channels combined. Of course, it’s not all roses, as the report also hinted at a slowdown in streaming growth, confirmed later this year by a separate report that saw the growth gap between streaming and broadcast shrink.
It’s not Netflix or any of those guys that are carrying streaming, though. YouTube has been dominating viewership metrics, seeing 120% growth in viewership for its free offering and now accounting for the highest share of streaming views at 12.5%. Maybe that’s how it managed to cut that Oscar deal.
The Apple Rumors Run Rampant
When you have an entire website dedicated to covering hearsay about your company, there’s bound to be a few interesting tidbits to turn heads. Apple caught attention this year for a variety of reasons though. Where do we even start?
The surge in HomeKit integrations from a company notorious for having a closed-off ecosystem otherwise? The patents eyeballing a professional installation service for its smart home products? The new smart home OS? Or perhaps the forthcoming control interface serving as a pivot from its original “next-big-thing?”
Sonos CEO Steps Down
Sonos had a massive leadership shakeup this year in the wake of a myriad issues stemming from the company’s products (with a big one being its app experience). Spence had been Sonos’s CEO since 2017, so the departure seemed particularly sudden, later being compounded upon by a couple other high-profile exists from the company.
For now, Tom Conrad, a Board Member, has been serving as CEO—originally temporary, now permanent after a swift turnaround for the company. Time will tell if the tribulations are truly left in the past, and considering the popularity of Sonos across professional and consumer markets, we’re betting a lot of people are hoping they are.
To 2026, and To Those Lost This Year
While the custom integration industry saw a tremendous amount of excitement this year, it was not without tragedy. Not to linger too long on painful subjects, but rather to give them the respect and reverence they deserve, we wanted to honor those from the industry who won’t be able to join us this year as we enter into 2026.
The losses of Mike Schnaiter, Maureen Jenson and Mattie Lillard were all abrupt and tragic. With each having long and storied careers in the custom integration industry and plenty of family and loved ones that remain as part of their legacies, they will be missed for years to come.
So, with that said, lets offer them another moment with us, to let our cherished moments be theirs as we move on into the New Year, carrying an industry borne out of hard-work, intrepidness and, most of all, passion, helping people to live their best lives.
Thanks for being with us in 2025. We hope to see you in the new year.
