Sonos' next smart speaker could be a HomePod rival with Dolby Atmos

Date:
Tue, 07 Feb 2023 16:40:57 +0000

Description:
Sonos has two (or three) new smart speakers launching this year that will use Dolby Atmos to take on Apple.

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If youve been looking to upgrade your homes sound system then 2023 could be the year to do it as Sonos is reportedly set to deliver a few new Dolby Atmos smart speakers before December; devices that should give Apples new HomePod a run for its money.

Sonos is a cut above the rest when it comes to audio, with its Sonos One
sound system being the best wireless speaker and the best smart speaker you can buy right now. But things could get even better this year if Sonos
rumored new speakers live up to the hype.

Weve known for some time (since August 2022 ) that Sonos is developing Dolby Atmos speakers that will boast multi-directional sound capabilities so to deliver immersive spatial audio. But a recent report from The Verge has confirmed that the speakers are in the final stages before release and they have official names: the Era 300 and Era 100 (previously known as the Optimo
2 speakers).

The Era 300 will be Sonos flagship, a Dolby Atmos smart speaker to rival Apples HomePod 2 . We dont yet know how good it sounds but Sonos has a knack for creating stellar audio products so we expect itll at least match the HomePod 2 for sound quality; in other areas, its new appliance looks to have the edge.

Thats because the Era 300 likely wont be so tied into Apples ecosystem as the HomePod. The HomePod line offers a lot more support for Apples own music streaming service ( Apple Music ) than it does its rivals (like Spotify ),
but Sonoss platform doesnt favor any one option over another. Whats more, while we expect the Era 300 will continue to offer AirPlay which lets iPhone users wirelessly stream music from their phone to the speaker its possible
it will also support Bluetooth connections something the Sonos One lacks,
and a feature that would make it easier to use Sonos products if youre an Android fan. The Sonos Era 300 (formerly Optimo 2) speaker render from The Verge, based on pictures it has seen (Image credit: The Verge)

As for the Era 100 and rumored Era 100 SL, which following Sonos naming conventions would be the same system minus any microphones its expected to
be more of a true Sonos One successor (read: less premium price and less impressive sound compared to the Era 300). That said, the Era 100 may still boast up-firing speakers to take full advantage of Dolby Atmos and a new design to match its Era sibling and differentiate it from the Sonos One.

Well have to wait to find out a few more key details about these new speakers
including their price but the Era lines existence alone gives audiophiles a good reason to delay upgrading their homes AV setup for a little while
longer.

With Sonos also expected to launch a product in an entirely new category this year potentially the long-awaited Sonos headphones or some kind of TV app or OS that was teased by job posts in 2022 2023 is shaping up to be a big year for the company. As soon as we find out more details well be sure to keep you updated.



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/news/sonos-next-smart-speaker-could-be-a-homepod-riv al-with-dolby-atmos


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