Sonos, following a turbulent 2024 marked by mobile app controversies and leadership changes, is reportedly planning a significant expansion into the video streaming market. Sources indicate the company is developing a streaming player, codenamed “Pinewood,” with a projected price tag between $200 and $400, a considerably higher cost than most competitors in this category.
Images of the device, currently in advanced development, depict a minimalist design: a flattened black square, slightly thicker than a deck of cards according to a report from The Verge who has seen the photos. While the device’s appearance may be unassuming, its functionality appears to be quite ambitious.
“Pinewood” is designed to be more than just another streaming device. While streaming is a core function, sources familiar with the project describe a “beautiful” user interface for the software, developed in partnership with a digital advertising firm. The device aims to unify content from various streaming platforms, including Netflix, Max, and Disney Plus, under a single software experience with universal search capabilities. This feature echoes similar efforts by competitors to streamline content discovery across the fragmented streaming landscape, but it is reportedly a central focus of “Pinewood’s” appeal. Sonos Voice Control will be integrated, and a physical remote control with shortcuts for popular streaming apps will also be included, offering users an alternative to phone or voice navigation.
Beyond streaming, “Pinewood” is designed to function as an HDMI switch with multiple HDMI ports and passthrough functionality. This will allow users to connect external devices, such as gaming consoles and 4K Blu-ray players, to the device. This feature is significant because it allows Sonos to address long-standing frustrations with compatibility issues between its soundbars and certain televisions. These issues, which include audio sync delays and signal dropouts, have been a source of concern for Sonos engineers. “Pinewood” aims to provide greater control over the input/output stack, potentially resolving these issues and improving the overall user experience.
Perhaps most notably, “Pinewood” will unlock a highly requested feature for Sonos customers: the ability to create a true surround sound system using multiple Sonos speakers. Instead of relying solely on a soundbar, users will be able to configure dedicated front left and right channels using speakers like the Era 300s. This will enable more sophisticated Dolby Atmos setups, though Sonos is still finalizing the supported speaker configurations.
In other firsts for the company, “Pinewood” will include gigabit Ethernet and Wi-Fi 7 connectivity, ensuring robust and high-bandwidth network performance. The “Pinewood” codename was initially reported by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman.
This move into the streaming market comes after a challenging 2024 for Sonos, marked by mobile app controversies and executive leadership changes. Tom Conrad, the interim CEO, is scheduled to host his first earnings call in this role, and while he is expected to emphasize the ongoing efforts to improve the Sonos mobile app, the focus on the future, including the “Pinewood” streaming player, will likely be a key topic of discussion. The “Pinewood” project represents a significant gamble for Sonos, as the company attempts to diversify its product offerings and navigate the increasingly competitive streaming entertainment landscape. Whether the high-priced device can capture a significant market share remains to be seen, but it clearly signals Sonos’s intention to become a more significant player in the home entertainment ecosystem.
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