Like many other audio brands, Sonos has been affected by the pandemic but still managed to come through with the release of two products: the Roam and 2nd generation Beam.
Both we felt were a success. The Sonos Roam scored a full 5 stars and the new Sonos Beam 4.5 stars. Given products often are in development for 18 months, what could Sonos have ready for us in the coming year?
A new wireless speaker?
Perhaps a new wireless speaker? The One, One SL and new Five speaker launched a couple of years ago, so we wouldn’t think a new version of those speakers is in the works, especially with the recent update to the Sonos S2 app that offers more functionality and support for high-quality sound formats.
There is a space in-between for a new Play:3 (or simple Three, as per Sonos’ naming designation). It was discontinued in 2018 and there’s been not a sniff of a new speaker of that size since. Maybe that could change in 2022.
A smaller subwoofer
We absolutely expect a new subwoofer to be launched. Referred to as the Sub Mini, it is a smaller version of the existing Sub model. This leak came courtesy of Sonos’ own S2 app and surfaced on Reddit, with a release thought to be imminent.
All the information we have is that the Sub Mini is cylindrical in shape, and with its smaller dimensions we could speculate that it’s a partner for the Sonos Beam Gen 2 or option for those who want bass extension but not too much of it. With CES 2022 taking place, perhaps an announcement could pop up around that time.
A true wireless headphone
Rumours have persisted that Sonos has been looking to enter the headphone market, but we’ve heard little and Sonos has said even less. Sonos’ approach in recent years has been to look abroad from the home: portable speakers in the Sonos Move and Roam, and a relationship with Audio to create an in-car audio system.
However, it has emerged that Sonos acquired Scottish-based audio brand RHA, the name subsequently changed to Origin North LTD.
And back in February 2021, Sonos filed for patents for a true wireless earbud. The stars appear to be aligning and we could see a pair of headphones from Sonos in the not-too distant future.
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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.
