winfutureImage used with permission by copyright holder
winfutureImage used with permission by copyright holder
winfutureImage used with permission by copyright holder
Zatz Not FunnyImage used with permission by copyright holder
Thanks to some new leaked images picked up by winfuture.de, there’s little room for doubt that we are looking at a soon-to-be-launched Bluetooth-capable speaker from Sonos — the first Sonos product to offer Bluetooth as a connection option. The speaker will be called the Sonos Move according to winfuture — an apt name considering its design as a truly portable and battery-powered device, and will most likely make its debut at IFA 2019 in Berlin.
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First spotted by The Verge and Zatz Not Funny! — and backed up by an FCC filing — the new speaker, which bears a strong physical resemblance to the company’s Sonos One smart speaker, will use Bluetooth for both wireless audio and improved setup convenience.
It will be compatible with the rest of the Sonos ecosystem, and will feature Wi-Fi connections, too. One leaked photo of the speaker, which for now is simply known as the S17, shows the Sonos One’s touch-based control buttons, as well as what looks to be a microphone array. The speaker uses USB-C for power and has an internal rechargeable battery, which would make the S17 the company’s first truly portable device.
Some kind of charging stand is clearly visible in the lifestyle-oriented photo, which also gives us a sense of the scale of the S17: A little taller and possibly wider than a Sonos One or Play:1. Around the back is a physical switch for selecting between Sonos’ normal Wi-Fi mode and the new Bluetooth option. There has also been speculation that Sonos’s Trueplay app-based EQ software could be made fully automatic, much like the EQ on Apple’s HomePod.
The Move/S17 will also be a smart speaker according to The Verge, which reports that when connected via Wi-Fi, the speaker will give users the ability to interact with either Alexa or Google Assistant, the two voice A.I.s that Sonos currently supports. These assistants will not work over Bluetooth connections. AirPlay 2, which has appeared on all Sonos devices since the Sonos One, is expected to be included too.
There’s no official word on timing for the release of the S17, though it is expected to be unveiled during Sonos’ presence at the IFA electronics show in Berlin next week. If the S17 is indeed heading to market in the next few months (possibly in time for the 2019 holiday season) this event would be the obvious place to unveil it, along with any other products the company has planned for the near term.
Sonos has long been wireless audio’s biggest cheerleader. But the company has a reputation for being highly selective when it comes to which wireless audio technologies it supports. Wi-Fi, with its large data capacity, ability to span longer distances and versatile networking options, has been the backbone of Sonos’ wireless audio platform from the beginning. Bluetooth, on the other hand, despite being used on virtually every other wireless speaker we can think of, has been consciously avoided by Sonos — until now.
An embrace of Bluetooth for wireless audio by Sonos isn’t just a big deal in terms of its speakers. As the wireless audio standard for earbuds and headphones, Bluetooth audio is a gateway to a whole new world of portable music, something that Sonos has avoided, choosing to focus instead on just home audio.
If truly portable music is indeed on Sonos’ road map, it could be a big win for the company’s customers. Sonos’ app-based music system, which gives you access to dozens of streaming music services as well as your own music library, doesn’t work when not connected to your home Wi-Fi, forcing Sonos users to switch to stand-alone apps like Apple Music or Spotify for listening on the go.
A portable-friendly Sonos app would make the software a one-stop audio shop — something Sonos users have been asking for. Earlier in 2019, a Bloomberg report suggested that Sonos was working on Bluetooth headphones. If the S17 is indeed headed our way, it’s a good bet those headphones will follow it.
Updated on August 29, 2019: Added more information about the speaker’s likely debut at IFA 2019.
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Though the StandbyMe Speaker connects via Bluetooth to the StandbyMe display, LG's Wow Orchestra feature manages the connection. This feature sends audio to both the external speaker and the display's internal speakers simultaneously for a more immersive sound. Once linked, the display's remote can control both products, and you can see an on-screen display of the speaker's status.
Sonos adds 8-inch ceiling speakers to its architectural line
Sonos has announced a new addition to its architectural series of speakers, which it produces in collaboration with Sonance. The 8-inch In-Ceiling Speaker represents a small increase in size from the existing 6-inch model and will be available this spring for $999 per pair.
Sonos says that the new speaker features a custom-built, enlarged woofer and a high-excursion motor. It claims that this will generate a smooth midrange, and bass as low as 32Hz over a greater listening area. A 30mm tweeter and an optimized waveguide will offer purportedly better high-frequency dispersion.
JBL brings the boom with upgraded portables and party speakers for 2024
The JBL Xtreme 4 JBL
Seminal speaker maker JBL has taken the veil off of its 2024 lifestyle lineup, which includes three new portable speakers and two new party speakers, all with upgrades that include more power, new colors, improved Bluetooth connectivity, recycled materials, and multi-speaker connectivity with Auracast.
The new JBL portables
JBL announced three new portable Bluetooth speakers today at CES 2024 in Las Vegas -- the football-sized JBL Xtreme 4, the compact and clippable JBL Clip 5, and the smallest of the bunch, the JBL Go 4. All of the new speakers maintain their rugged IP67 ratings, but feature improved battery life, more power, and better bass, as well as an upgrade in their Bluetooth connectivity to version 3.5 LE (Low Energy), which means lower latency, lower power consumption, and better audio quality. But more importantly, it allows all three new JBL speakers to be Auracast-enabled, which allows multi-speaker connectivity with an unlimited number of other JBL Auracast speakers, regardless of whether they're the same model of speaker or not.
