Place a figure on a Toniebox and a story begins

Changing the story means swapping a figure rather than swiping a screen. Place a small character on a square speaker and the songs and stories linked to it begin to play. Toniebox turns an audio library into objects that can be picked up. A hand reaches for a figure instead of a play button.

Toniebox 2, launched in autumn 2025, continues this approach. Magnetic figures called Tonies attach to the top and select the content. Earlier Tonies work with the new device too: placing a familiar figure on the new speaker brings back the same stories.

The complete audio is not stored inside each figure. Playing a new Tonie for the first time requires Wi-Fi so its audio can be downloaded to the box. Once downloaded, the content can be played offline. Initial setup needs an adult's app and a network connection, but choosing a downloaded story does not require opening a screen each time.

The second model also adds games that invite choices while listening. Dedicated Tonieplay games and a controller let listeners take part in quizzes or make decisions within stories. Tonies select what to hear; Tonieplay is a separate system for responding during playback. These games work only with Toniebox 2, unlike the existing figures that remain compatible across generations.

There are also a light and timed playback-stop function, along with a morning alarm. An adult manages these settings in the app. Having no screen does not mean having no connection to a smartphone. The app handles setup and management, while the figures handle story selection for the listener.

Another character in a child's room brings another story to hear, along with the cost and space involved in collecting figures. Still, choosing a figure, holding it, and placing it on a speaker is different from tapping a small title on a display. The selected story remains visibly represented on top of the box.