Sonos
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Sonos CEO will testify at a House antitrust hearing next week
A day after his company sued Google for allegedly stealing some of its speaker tech, it emerged Sonos CEO Patrick Spence will testify at an antitrust hearing. The House Antitrust Subcommittee, which is broadly investigating the market dominance of tech giants, will hear from more witnesses next week.
Kris Holt01.08.2020
Sonos sues Google for allegedly copying its speaker technology
Sonos may have to cozy up to partners like Amazon and Google to compete in the smart speaker world, but that doesn't mean it's happy with how it's being treated. The company has sued Google in federal court over allegations the search giant is violating five of its speaker patents, including technology that lets wireless speakers sync with each other. Google has been "blatantly and knowingly" duping tech Sonos chief Patrick Spence said in a statement, and supposedly refused to cooperate on a "mutually beneficial solution" despite years of discussions.
Jon Fingas01.07.2020
Sonos gives a lame reason for bricking older devices in 'Recycle Mode'
Sonos has a good reputation for building quality speakers, but its latest move has disappointed some buyers. Recently, the company offered a trade-up program, giving legacy customers 30 percent off the latest One, Beam or Port. In exchange, buyers just had to "recycle" their existing products. However, what Sonos meant by "recycle" was to activate a feature called "Recycle Mode" that permanently bricks the speaker. It then becomes impossible for recycling firms to resell it or do anything else but strip it for parts.
Steve Dent12.31.2019
Sonos hikes prices on the Amp and Port as it moves production out of China
Sonos is moving production of some of its products from China to Malaysia, and at the same time the company is increasing the price of the Sonos Amp and Sonos Port by $50. Sonos told The Verge that its decision to move production is less of a response to tariffs, which it reportedly called a "one-time hit," and more about diversifying production for the future.
Christine Fisher12.27.2019
Save $100 on the Sonos Play:5 on Cyber Monday
In addition to Black Friday discounts on home theater speakers, Sonos is offering Cyber Monday deals that music lovers will appreciate.
Christine Fisher11.30.2019
Save $80 on a Sonos Beam this Black Friday
With just a couple of days before the official start of Black Friday, Sonos has detailed what you can expect from its sale. Later this week, you'll be able to save on the company's Beam, Playbar, Playbase and Sub speakers, as well as its Amp amplifier. Unfortunately, it doesn't look like Sonos plans to offer a direct discount on its music-focused speakers -- home theater products appear to be the theme this year. You'll be able to take advantage of all deals we detail below starting from midnight ET on November 28th through to December 2nd.
Igor Bonifacic11.25.2019
Sonos buys an AI startup to improve voice control for its speakers
Sonos might just be less reliant on third-party assistants for voice control. The company has bought Snips, a Paris startup that helps create "tailored voice experiences" through its AI voice platform and tools. No, Sonos isn't planning to take on Alexa or Google Assistant -- rather, the company said in a letter that this is to "add to [Sonos] customers' ease of use and control" for music. Snips' speedy, private on-device voice processing is designed to sit alongside general assistants, suggesting that Sonos may reserve the custom voice control for basic functions like playback.
Jon Fingas11.20.2019
Spotify’s free streaming will work with Alexa and Bose speakers
You no longer need a Spotify Premium subscription to listen to your Spotify playlists on Alexa, Bose or Sonos speakers. Last week, Spotify announced that Free users could finally listen on Sonos speakers. Today, it's extending that capability to Alexa and Bose speakers, too.
Christine Fisher11.20.2019
Spotify's free streaming can now be used on Sonos speakers
Early this year, Spotify passed the 100 million Premium subscribers mark. Those users were able to stream Spotify on Sonos speakers. But Spotify has 248 million monthly users, and more than half of those are on the Spotify Free plan. Until now, Free users were unable to stream music on Sonos speakers. That changes today. Thanks to a software update, Spotify Free users can now listen on Sonos.
Christine Fisher11.12.2019
The media streamers and soundbars to buy this holiday season
There are lots of reasons to consider gifting home entertainment products. Whether you're searching for the perfect gift for that one friend that's always glued to their TV, or you're selflessly trying to bring your mom's living room setup up to speed before you visit for the holidays, we have a heap of suggestions for presents big and small. From $30 streaming sticks to $400 soundbars, we've got your back.
Engadget11.11.2019
The best audio gifts, from headphones to DJ gear
We're sure there's at least a few audiophiles, music lovers and musicians on your shopping list. It's hard (and sometimes a bit pricey) to get them gifts you know they'll love. But over the course of the year we've tested and reviewed countless speakers, headphones and even synthesizers and we're confident in saying these gifts will make almost anyone happy. Whether they like making music or just listening to it, we've got some solid holiday shopping suggestions. On the music-making side, 2019 has all about going small, portable and affordable. There's a dirt-cheap synth, portable MIDI controllers and a powerful music computer for the artist on your list. We've also got an amazing-sounding smart speaker to recommend, not to mention some top-notch true wireless earbuds and a stellar pair of time-tested wired headphones. Because, let's be clear: New isn't always better. And what you really want to get your friends and family is the best, not necessarily the latest.
Engadget11.11.2019
Sonos offers its early adopters a 30 percent trade-in offer on new speakers
If you've been hanging onto an old Sonos speaker for forever but have been interested in switching to a recent model such as Move, One or Port, the company might tempt you further with its Trade Up program. If you have an eligible speaker, you can claim 30 percent off a new one and recycle your existing product.
Kris Holt10.30.2019
Sonos is launching a speaker rental service
Sonos has a reputation for producing high quality speakers, although they aren't the cheapest. Recently, the company has been offering more affordable versions of its products including two speakers it made in collaboration with IKEA. Now, there's yet another way for people to get Sonos sound in their homes for less cash: a speaker rental service called Flex, currently only available in the Netherlands.
Georgina Torbet10.07.2019
Amazon enlists 30 companies to improve how voice assistants work together
Just because you have an Amazon device doesn't mean you should be limited to interacting with Alexa -- or so Amazon believes. Today, the company announced a new Voice Interoperability Initiative. The goal is to work with other companies so that users can access multiple voice services -- from Alexa to Cortana and Salesforce's Einstein -- on a single device.
Christine Fisher09.24.2019
How to buy a soundbar
It's no secret that the built-in speakers in most TVs are trash. Soundbars are a must-have if you care about your home audio setup. Here's what you need to consider when picking a soundbar, plus our best picks.
Billy Steele09.23.2019
Sonos Move review: Versatility doesn't come cheap
It's late September, but still technically summer, so I'm writing this on my back deck, listening to the first Sonos speaker built to be used outside. The Move represents a number of firsts for Sonos: It's built to be used outdoors, it has a battery and it supports Bluetooth. These design choices add up to a speaker that's far more versatile than any Sonos has made thus far. Instead of it living in one spot, I've been testing the Move all over my home, inside and out. Because of this versatility, everyone who buys a Move will use it differently, which makes it tricky to evaluate. But regardless of whether you plan to use it inside, on-the-go, in the backyard, or some combination of all three, the Move needs to deliver on sound quality, durability, battery life and wireless connectivity. Especially since it costs $399 -- or about double the price of the UE Megaboom 3, which is itself a pretty expensive Bluetooth speaker. To justify that cost the Move not only needs to do a lot more, but it needs to do all those things well.
Nathan Ingraham09.18.2019
IKEA's remote for its Sonos-powered speakers ships October 1st
When IKEA launched a line of Sonos-powered SYMFONISK speakers last month, the Swedish furniture giant promised an accompanying remote. Spotted by Tweakers, the product page for the puck-shaped controller is now live. The SYMFONISK remote will launch at €14.99 in black and white color options. It will hit the UK and Europe on October 1st, with a North American release likely to follow shortly after.
Marc DeAngelis09.12.2019
The Sonos Move is more than a Bluetooth speaker
For its entire history, Sonos has prided itself on delivering high-quality, wireless home audio. Among other things, that's meant using WiFi rather than Bluetooth to stream music. Even as "premium" Bluetooth speakers flooded the market, Sonos stuck to its guns, convinced it was doing things the "right" way. And even though the company's speakers generally deliver an excellent audio experience, plenty of its fans still have asked for Bluetooth over the years. In the same vein, Sonos users have been asking about outdoor speakers for years now. So far, all Sonos speakers have been designed to be placed in one spot and left there; the company doesn't make any battery-powered devices, and everything is dependent on an internet connection. That all changes later this month when Sonos releases the Move, its take on the battery-powered, portable speaker. The $399 Move is the first Sonos speaker with batteries and Bluetooth, and it's built to resist pretty much any environmental situation it could be subjected to. In these ways, it's the most unique speaker Sonos has made in years, and it required the company to drop some dogmatic thinking about the technology in its products.
Nathan Ingraham09.05.2019
The Sonos One SL is a microphone-free version of its most accessible speaker
It's been about two years since Sonos released the One, its first speaker with built-in microphones for Alexa and, much later, Google Assistant support. The One was essentially an upgraded version of the Play:1, which didn't have mics. Sonos kept selling the Play:1, but its days appeared numbered with the company wasn't able to add AirPlay 2 support to the speaker when it arrived last year. Today, Sonos is officially discontinuing the Play:1 and replacing it with the One SL. That new speaker is nearly identical to the One, aside from a key difference: It has no microphones, so there's no way to use Alexa or the Google Assistant.
Nathan Ingraham09.05.2019
Sonos' portable smart speaker leaks in greater detail
There might not be much of a surprise left by the time Sonos unveils its first portable speaker. The crew at WinFuture has obtained pictures and details that appear to offer much clearer idea of how the hybrid smart speaker will work -- including what it's called. Known as the Sonos Move, it won't be just a slightly squashed Sonos One with a battery. There looks to be a recessed grip to help you tote the speaker from place to place, and that's where you'll also find the previously rumored toggle between Bluetooth (portable) and WiFi (home) connections.
Jon Fingas08.18.2019