Designing the hardware UX and companion app for a premium wireless speaker
As Lead Product Designer, I shaped the experience of KUBE Sound — a premium, water-resistant wireless speaker built for life outdoors.
I designed the on-device interaction model, LED feedback system, and companion app, bridging physical hardware and software into one cohesive experience.
Company
KUBE Sound
Timeline
2019 — 2020
Role
Lead Product Designer
Focus
Hardware UX + Companion App
A premium speaker is judged the moment you touch it — but its controls and feedback had no defined system.
KUBE needed an interaction model that felt as refined as the hardware itself, working reliably with wet hands, in bright sun, and far from a phone.
Every button, light, and sound had to communicate state clearly, then carry that same language into the companion app.
Physical-first interaction
Controls had to work without a screen, often with wet hands
No feedback system
LED and sound states were undefined across modes
Hardware and app disconnect
The device and companion app spoke different languages
I designed a single interaction language that lived on the device and in the app.
On the Device
- Defined a tactile control layout usable without looking
- Designed an LED feedback system for power, volume, pairing, and charging
- Paired lights with audio cues so state was always clear
In the App
- Mirrored the device's visual language for a seamless handoff
- Simplified setup, pairing, and multi-speaker grouping
- Surfaced firmware updates and settings without friction
The goal was a speaker that felt effortless anywhere life happened — poolside, on the beach, or at home.
Effortless by Feel
Controls that work without ever looking at the device
Clear Feedback
Every state communicated through light and sound
Built for Outdoors
Designed for sun, water, sand, and movement
One Language
A unified system across hardware and app
This vision turned a set of buttons and lights into a cohesive, premium product experience.
Pairing should disappear into the experience.
I designed connection flows that let users go from unboxing to playing in seconds, with the app handling pairing, grouping, and playback without getting in the way.
Fast Bluetooth handoff
Connect and control from the lock screen
Multi-speaker mesh grouping
Sync several KUBEs into one sound system
I worked end to end, from interaction model to the smallest LED behavior.
Defined the on-device control layout and button behaviors
Designed the full LED and sound feedback system across every mode
Created the companion app flows for setup, pairing, and grouping
Partnered with hardware and firmware teams on feasibility and detail
Specified every interaction state for engineering handoff
I set the experience direction while staying close to the details that make premium hardware feel premium.
A cohesive product experience across hardware and software.
Unified
One interaction language shared between the device and companion app
5 Modes
Defined LED and sound feedback for power, pairing, identify, charging, and updates
No Screen
A full control model usable entirely by feel, with wet hands or in bright sun
Mesh
Multi-speaker grouping that synced several KUBEs into one system
Sound that goes
everywhere.
A premium speaker experience designed to feel effortless from the first touch — at the pool, on the beach, or anywhere life happens.
Lessons from designing across hardware and software.
Feedback is the interface
When there's no screen, light and sound become the entire language of the product.
Design for the real environment
Wet hands, bright sun, and movement should shape decisions, not be edge cases.
Hardware and app are one product
A shared language across device and app makes the whole experience feel premium.
Details define perception
The smallest interaction states are what make a product feel considered and trustworthy.
LiftSession