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Sonos could be about to launch its first pair of headphones – challenging established rivals like Bose, Sony, and Apple. Whispers that Sonos could be planning to launch a pair of over-ear headphones are nothing new, but a new acquisition by the US smart audio firm has fuelled the flames. Sonos has bought Bluetooth audio start-up T2 Software, which has been working on Bluetooth Low Energy (LE) and a codec called LC3, which is designed to deliver improved audio quality at lower bitrates – boosting battery life on headphones.
Of course, the T2 Software acquisition isn’t confirmation that Sonos is gearing up to launch its first headphones. After all, the company already sells two speakers kitted out with Bluetooth – the Sonos Roam and Sonos Move, which act like any other Sonos speaker when connected to Wi-Fi at home, but transform into rugged Bluetooth speakers when taken outside. The water-resistant speaker is designed to DJ pool parties and trips to the beach, with Android and iOS smartphones able to stream audio via Bluetooth just like rival portable speakers from Beats, JBL, and Ultimate Ears.
It’s possible the T2 Software acquisition will improve battery life on future iterations of the Roam and Move.
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Best Sonos Deals
However, in a post published on LinkedIn, Sonos Vice President of Global Marketing and Communications, Pete Pedersen, recently revealed that the US firm is looking for a new marketing agency to help launch “a new category” of product that will be “targeting a new audience/consumer segment”. Donning our deer-stalker, dear Watson, that seems to hint that a pair of headphones could be in the works.
Sonos has won a number of awards for its industrial design, so we’d expect a pair of headphones from the company to look stunning. For those who have already invested in a number of speakers from the company, a pair of headphones from the same brand could offer a number of neat software tricks that tie into your existing system.
For example, you could take an existing playlist, podcast or radio station that’s playing on your Sonos system with you as you walk out of the door – with the audio transferring to your headphones without skipping a beat. Apple currently offers a similar feature, known as Handoff, for those who own both its iPhone (and paired AirPods) and its HomePod smart speakers – with users able to tap on their phone to beam the audio to the speaker or vice versa when they’re heading out of the door.
Introducing Sonos Trueplay
Sonos’ popular Beam and Arc soundbars could also integrate with the forthcoming headphones. For example, when watching a blockbuster late at night, you could switch to the headphones, automatically cutting audio to the soundbar (and ensuring that your little ones aren’t disturbed), as soon as the sensors detect that they’re on your head.
Whatever the company decides to do, it seems like T2 Software shows real promise in boosting battery life. Its power-efficient LC3 Bluetooth codec promises to stream higher audio quality without using any more power than existing Bluetooth LE. Sonos had previously shunned Bluetooth, which is pretty heavy-handed with its compression, in favour of high-resolution streaming via Wi-Fi.
As always, nothing is confirmed until Sonos makes the announcement, so take the above with a pinch of salt. If you’re keen to upgrade your current Sonos set-up, we’ve put together a definitive list of the best Sonos deals around right now.
Sonos One – Gen 2 (Certified Refurbished)
This compact speaker packs the same internals as the pricier Sonos One, but drops the microphone array used for voice assistants Alexa and Google Assistant. If you’re looking for a great sounding speaker with support for AirPlay 2 and the ability to build out a multi-room smart sound system, this is a brilliant place to start.
View Deal RRP: £199 – SAVE £54
Sonos Move (Certified Refurbished)
Sonos’ first portable speaker is a triumph. At home, this Wi-Fi-enabled speaker acts exactly like any other Sonos – synchronised music playback between multiple rooms, AirPlay 2 capabilities, and more. But take the Move outside and it transforms into a portable Bluetooth speaker. It’s even water-resistant, so you can use it to DJ at the beach or pool.
View Deal RRP: £399 – SAVE £110
Sonos Beam – First Generation (Certified Refurbished)
Sonos Beam is a compact soundbar that elevates the audio from your television for movie nights and boxset binges. There’s even a dedicated mode to boost dialogue – perfect for late-night viewing when you don’t want to turn up the volume too high. Beam synchronises with your existing TV remote for easy control too. When the TV is off, Beam can stream music and more using the Sonos app, your voice, and Apple AirPlay 2.
View Deal RRP: £399 – SAVE £110
Sonos Five (Certified Refurbished)
If you’re looking for the ultimate Sonos speaker, this is it. The Five offers stereo sound and is the only speaker in Sonos’ line-up that offers a 3.5mm port, so you can connect a turntable, CD player or other audio device to your wireless sound system. Just like Sonos’ other speakers, you can use the Sonos app or AirPlay 2 to beam tracks, podcasts and radio stations to multiple speakers around your home with a tap or two.
View Deal RRP: £499 – SAVE £100
Sonos Arc (Certified Refurbished)
If you’re looking for the best addition to your home cinema setup from Sonos, this is it. Packed into its sleek design, the Sonos Arc packs 11 speakers – including two dedicated to firing upwards to bounce off the ceiling and support you in sound. Arc boasts support for Dolby Atmos too
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