Last August, Sonos announced it would be partnering with Amazon to bring Amazon Echo and Echo Dot support to its range of speakers.
The announcement was exciting as it meant owners would be able to control their Sonos music setups via the popular voice-controlled devices, and hinted at Sonos’ desire to branch out from its previous practices.
And now, The Verge has got its hands on a slightly redacted memo to Sonos employees from CEO Patrick Spence, in which he lays out his plans for the company going forward and hints at similar partnerships in the future.
Related: MWC 2017
As Sonos faces more and more competition from the likes of Amazon and Google with their smart-speakers, Spence looks to be trying to adapt by teaming up with rivals, rather than simply competing.
The CEO writes: “The next few years will define our future as we step into the big leagues – partnering and competing with global leaders like Amazon, Google and (likely) Apple.
“It requires new thinking and a different pace than we had in our first fifteen years.”
More integration with smart home products makes a lot of sense for Sonos, as it fits with the company’s approach to music streaming, partnering with outside companies such as Spotify to ensure its hardware works properly with popular streaming platforms.
After announcing Amazon Echo integration last year, Sonos also revealed it will be opening its speakers up to third-party music streaming services, starting with Spotify.
The partnership means users can control the speakers directly from the Spotify app, whereas they would previously have to use Sonos’ proprietary offering.
Spence also explains the need for “more product innovation”, writing: “We must innovate boldly. When Sonos began, it was all about product innovation– and while we need more product innovation and pace than ever, we also need to expand our innovative thinking to the way we market to customers, the way we sell to customers, and the way we service customers.
WATCH: Amazon Echo best skills
Let us know what you think of Spence’s vision in the comments.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
