Sonos is reportedly set to release a portable Bluetooth speaker in a marked departure from its usual wireless multi-room audio products.
FCC filings first uncovered by US tech blogger Dave Zatz point to two new products which appear to be a new Bluetooth speaker and a refresh of Sonos’ existing Connect streamer.
A person “familiar” with the new speaker’s capabilities told The Verge it will support Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, though not in Bluetooth mode.
When streaming over Bluetooth the speaker is expected to operate like any other, streaming off a connected device.
Users can also change over to Wi-Fi mode (or connect via Ethernet) and have the speaker integrate into their existing Sonos network, controlled through the Sonos app.
Apple AirPlay 2 streaming is also expected to be supported as it has on other recent Sonos speakers.
The long awaited “portable” Sonos speaker is still expected to be fairly sizable, with the Sonos One used as a comparison which the Bluetooth speaker will be “taller and wider” than.
A base station is expected to come with the speaker for charging, but baseless USB-C charging should also be supported.
The Bluetooth speaker is also tipped to show off Sonos’ new room calibration technology.
Previously, Sonos users could use their smartphone’s microphone to calibrate rooms for their Sonos speakers, but with the rise and integration of digital voice assistants now placing microphones in speakers themselves, the new Auto Trueplay feature can use the built-in microphones to automatically adjust speaker output for the environment.
This calibration method could prove particularly useful on a portable speaker that can be moved from room-to-room as well as outdoors.
The company also recently collaborated with IKEA on a bookshelf speaker and lamp speaker, as well as with architectural audio company Sonance on a range of outdoor speakers, though neither collaboration has gone on sale in Australia yet.
