- Best Buy Canada leaked a listing page for the ‘Sonos Play’ speaker, but it has since been deleted
- It’s set to arrive March 31, and costs $399.99
- The new Bluetooth speaker could be Sonos’ mid-range option alongside the Roam 2 and Move 2
Apple isn’t the only one with new devices on the way, as leaks of a new Sonos portable Bluetooth speaker hint that the audio giant could be dropping the device imminently — and people already like what they see.
Dubbed ‘Sonos Play’, the speaker was leaked on Best Buy Canada’s site with a full gallery of images and a thorough list of specs, but has since been taken down. Luckily, a user on Reddit managed to snap some images before the listing was removed from Best Buy’s online store (see below).
sonos from r/sonos/comments/1ri2yqr/upcoming_sonos_portable_speaker
According to the listing, the Sonos Play portable speaker will be available in black or white and will cost CAD $399.99 (or around USD $300), though international prices have yet to be announced. It’s supposedly arriving as soon as March 31, but Sonos hasn’t confirmed or denied the launch date.
At first glance, it seems that the Sonos Play will serve as the mid-range option in Sonos’ lineup of Bluetooth speakers, which consists of the Sonos Roam 2 ($179/ $179) and the significantly larger, higher-end Sonos Move 2 ($499 / £449) — both of which are some of the best Bluetooth speakers we know. But let’s get into the specs.
Bigger than the Roam, smaller than the Move 2
Prior to taking the listing down, Best Buy’s product overview shared the following: “Take quality sound wherever you go with the Sonos Play Bluetooth wireless speaker. Its compact design fits easily in your hand, while automatic Trueplay tuning optimizes audio for any environment. Wi‑Fi and Bluetooth let you stream high‑quality audio from different devices and sources. Up to 24 hours of battery life avoids the need for frequent recharging.”
Design-wise, Sonos keeps it cohesive, and the new Bluetooth speaker doesn’t have any crazy design changes that are out of the ordinary for the brand. Its shape is reminiscent of the UE Epicboom speaker, packing a handy carrying strap, 24-hour battery life, a wireless charging base, an aux port for connecting to other audio devices such as turntables, and a USB-C port, allowing you to use the speaker as a battery pack.
As for dimensions, it’s likely that Best Buy messed up on this one. The screenshots of the listing show the Sonos Play speaker to be W19.23cm, D11.25cm, H7.67cm, which, looking at the product image, is definitely not just under 8cm tall. It’s likely that these have been mixed up (I’d guess that the real dimensions are H19.23cm, W11.25cm, D7.67cm), hinting that someone from Best Buy might have published the listing a bit too promptly.
Despite this mix-up, its size is a perfect starting point for Sonos’ venture into mid-range speakers. Though the Sonos Move 2 is a powerful speaker fit for both indoor and outdoor use, its bulky size contradicts the portability aspect of Bluetooth speakers, while the Sonos Roam is the ideal portable audio companion, but doesn’t quite pack a punch on the battery life front.
As well as WiFi connectivity, the Best Buy listing reveals that the Sonos Play will support Apple AirPlay 2 and Alexa, in addition to Spotify and Sonos app compatibility. As per the listing overview, Sonos’ flagship sound-optimizing tool Trueplay is coming to the Play speaker, which tunes the audio based on your surroundings and speaker placement.
Though Best Buy was quick to eradicate all traces of its Sonos Play listing, its first-look images have been well received online, even though it comes in at $400 – though that price level is standard for Sonos. That said, we know that Sonos has other tricks up its sleeve – it’s apparently got another app overhaul in the works — so a new Bluetooth speaker would be highly welcomed alongside a fresh app redesign.
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rowan.davies@futurenet.com (Rowan Davies)
