Teenage Engineering’s CEO says it’ll stop making synths

Teenage Engineering founder and CEO Jesper Kouthoofd told Highsnobiety the company plans to stop making synths, including the OP-1 that helped define its brand. The move is surprising because most of its own products remain music or audio-focused, even as the company also works as a design partner for brands like Ikea, Nothing, and Playdate.

If carried out, the shift would mark a major pivot away from the niche hardware category that made Teenage Engineering influential. It suggests the company may be prioritizing design consultancy and broader consumer products over the increasingly difficult economics of boutique music gear.