Sonos transitioning to a brand new working system ought to come as no shock. The first Sonos merchandise got here to market greater than 15 years in the past, and till now, virtually each part has remained interoperable. That couldn’t final perpetually. What is stunning for a corporation that has operated with precision and self-discipline its total existence is how poorly it has communicated to its buyer base when, why, and the way this transition will happen. Today, we lastly get not less than some clarification on that entrance.
A brand new Sonos working system—Sonos S2—will roll out a while in June, and a brand new controller app will include it. The firm is providing solely hints as to the enhancements the brand new OS will allow, however in a briefing final week, Sonos spokesperson Jenisse Curry stated it can “support higher-resolution audio and higher bandwidth connectivity.” Presumably, this implies new {hardware} will transfer past the 16-bit/48kHz audio that Sonos has for years insisted is “good enough.” It may additionally imply that the corporate is seeking to help object-based codecs resembling Dolby Atmos and/or DTS:X.
Michael Brown / IDGAll newer Sonos {hardware}, such because the Move—the corporate’s first battery-powered transportable speaker—will probably be upgradeable to the brand new working system.
Curry additionally stated the brand new OS and app could have a brand new function known as “room groups,” which allow you to outline a room containing a number of Sonos audio system and management all of them on the similar time. This might be very helpful for a house theater that has a soundbar, subwoofer, and satellite tv for pc audio system. Instead of grouping these audio system individually, you’d bundle them collectively and name the group “Home Theater.” She stated the brand new OS can even “remember frequently grouped speakers, such as ‘Upstairs,’ ‘Downstairs,’ ‘Front of House,’ and ‘Back of House,’” so that you don’t have to repeatedly create these situations.
Michael Brown/TechHiveThe Sonos Playbase, launched in April 2017, will be able to operating the brand new Sonos OS.
Earlier this month, Sonos backtracked additional and introduced the top of its coverage of bricking {hardware} used to attain trade-up reductions. So, should you’ve been craving a Sonos improve, it is a nice time to do it. As for purchasers who’ve already bricked their S1 elements, that motion can’t be reversed (even should you’re inside the 21-day countdown), however Sonos’ Jenisse Curry hinted that Sonos will search to make amends with clients who did it, saying that they “should contact our customer service department.”
Hindsight in 20/20, after all, however Sonos may have saved itself quite a lot of grief by laying out these plans intimately method again in October, with the announcement of its trade-up program. But the underside line is that Sonos clients and anybody contemplating changing into one now have a significantly better concept of what the long run holds and the way they is likely to be impacted.
I, for one, can’t wait to seek out out what the brand new OS will make attainable.
Upated shortly after publication to make clear that S2 OS set up gained’t be automated. Users with appropriate {hardware} will probably be notified when the S2 OS and app can be found they usually can select to improve or not.
