Sonos plans to launch AirPods Max rival, $400 set-top box, and more

Sonos plans to launch AirPods Max rival, $400 set-top box, and more

Sonos is already an established player in the premium wireless speaker market with its line of smart speakers and soundbars. But if there is one area where the company does not have market share, it is in the non-headphone segment. That may soon change.

According to Bloomber's Mark Gurman, the company is developing its own premium headphones to compete with Apple's AirPods Max. Rumors that Sonos is working on a headphone have been circulating for some time now, including a patent application in 2021, but none have materialized.

Additionally, Sonos is reportedly working on its own set-top streaming box, so it is possible that the company plans to expand its portfolio in a more substantial way in the near future.

All of this comes at a time when the company experienced declining sales last year and is part of a new strategy by Sonos CEO Patrick Spence that could help reignite growth. Given Sonos' hyper-focus on smart speakers, this new strategy could lead the company to new revenue opportunities.

Here is all we can see.

If there's one thing Apple has taught everyone, it's that consumers are willing to pay a hefty price for high-end headphones; a competitor to the AirPods Max from Sonos may finally be on the horizon, announced in March and released the following month in April.

Codenamed "Duke," the headphones are over-the-ear headphones intended to compete directly with the AirPods Max, with two color options, voice controls to navigate through songs, and the ability to sync with other Sonos audio products The product is equipped with the following features. The latter is a feature that Sonos speakers excel at, and one that one would expect from this product.

Besides that, a Sonos version of the standard AirPods True Wireless earbuds could also be in the works. Its sound signature and customization features will be of interest.

One category that Sonos is not expected to tackle is TV set-top boxes and video. The company is reportedly working on a streaming box, codenamed "Pinewood," that can stream all of your favorite streaming services; given the robust ecosystem that Sonos has fostered, this set-top box is likely to have Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision support, which could leverage existing Sonos home speakers for even more immersive sound.

Gurman reports that "Pinewood" will feature an Android-based operating system, but with the ability to run different apps, given the suggested introduction in late 2024 or early 2025, This is still in the early stages.

Sonos is reportedly considering refreshing many of its existing audio products, including its subwoofer line with a new subwoofer codenamed "Lotus." This new subwoofer appears to have all the upgrades, including support for high-speed connectivity with Wi-Fi 6. The report gives no timetable for when it will be announced, nor does it give any indication of pricing.

Sonos Roam is one of the company's most popular audio products, so it is not surprising that a follow-up is planned; codenamed "Sidecar," due out in mid-2024, is the second generation Roam speaker; Sonos' Era 100 was recently addition to the lineup, but the company has a more expensive version that is targeted more for commercial use than home use. Codenamed "Raven," this low-cost version of the Era 100 replaces the wireless network connection with an Ethernet port.

Good audio comes at a price. Sonos' "Lasso" is a $1,200 sound bar that may offer better audio performance than the company's existing Arc sound bar. The technology behind the sound bar is said to be based on Mayht Holding BV, a Dutch speaker component developer that Sono acquired in 2022, and will ultimately deliver better bass and sound quality.

And finally, Sonos is rumored to be working on a new high-end amplifier at $3,000 to $4,000 per unit. Other than the price point, nothing else has been revealed other than reports that they will appear in late 2024 and will be preceded by new 8" in-ceiling speakers.

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