One of Apple’s biggest rivals in the premium audio sector is about to take a swing at the company with not one but two brand-new product lines, including one that should surprise you.
Sonos currently makes a series of brilliant smart speakers and sound bars, including the Sonos Ray, the portable Sonos Move 2, and the Sonos Era 300 which is a potent rival to Apple’s HomePod. Now, a new report claims the company is lining up a set of premium headphones and a new TV set-top box, perhaps as early as next year.
In a new report this week, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman claims that Sonos “will make a long-awaited push into headphones with a model priced upwards of $400 that’s slated to be released as early as April.” A pair of premium headphones worth more than $400 would certainly turn heads as a possible alternative to Apple’s AirPods Max. Sonos’ audio chops are well-known, so save a catastrophic miscalculation it's likely these will be very good. It’s hat Sonos set-top box, however, has piqued my interest.
Sonos’ Apple TV rival
According to Gurman, Sonos “is also aiming to introduce a TV set-top box, which would compete with products from Apple Inc. and Roku Inc., as early as the end of 2024.” According to the report, the device will cost between $150 and $200, and run apps “from popular streaming services.” That sounds a lot like the Apple TV 4K, right down to the premium pricing, so if this report turns out to be true we might have a good old-fashioned TV throwdown on our hands.
Those headphones too are an interesting prospect. The price tag of more than $400 again suggests Apple territory— even the best AirPods Black Friday deals will still set you back nearly $450 for a pair of Apple’s premium AirPods Max, which usually retail at more than $500. If Sonos can provide a cheaper alternative that’s viable and offers sturdy noise canceling, they could be on to a winner.
