Sonos has announced a deal to buy the dutch audio company Mayht, which could enable it to make smaller and lighter speakers while retaining the same market-leading sound.
The $100m acquisition is primarily about the speaker technology created by Mayht. The company has previously claimed it has “reengineered” the transistor, to enable speakers to retain sound quality and bass, in a speaker package that’s ten times smaller.
However, the company also co-created a prototype light-powered Bluetooth speaker with Exeger, which was announced at CES 2022. That speaker also uses the revolutionary transistors. Sonos says the tech will be plugged straight into its product lines, so we can expect to see smaller and lighter Sonos speakers in the years to come.
Certainly smaller than the hulking Sonos Move, which was designed as the company’s first Bluetooth speaker for outdoor use. Our reviewer Kob Monney observed: “Despite its attempts at portability, I’m still unsure as to whether it’s a speaker you’d want to take out of the house. It’s fine for taking to the garden, but hefting it out to the park? I’d feel you’d want something smaller. “Portable” isn’t the right word for it; an “outdoor” speaker sets expectations better.”
The company also plans to utilise the IP to help its products stand out in the market that’s becoming increasingly competitive following the incursion of Amazon, Apple and Google in recent years.
“Mayht’s breakthrough in transducer technology will enable Sonos to take another leap forward in our product portfolio,” said Patrick Spence, CEO in a press release. “This strategic acquisition gives us more incredible people, technology and intellectual property that will further distinguish the Sonos experience, enhance our competitive advantage, and accelerate our future roadmap.”
His opposite number, Mayht CEO Mattiah Scheek said: “We are very excited and proud to become a part of Sonos. Our dream has always been to set a new standard in the audio industry. The integration of our technology into Sonos products will further revolutionize high quality sound.”
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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.
