In a surprising turn of events, Sonos has scrapped its highly anticipated streaming video player, codenamed Pinewood, which was poised to be the company’s next big hardware release in 2025. The decision was revealed by interim CEO Tom Conrad during an all-hands meeting earlier today, as reported by The Verge. The move marks a significant pivot for the audio hardware giant, which has faced a challenging year following software setbacks and a leadership shakeup.
Pinewood, already in the advanced stages of development and undergoing months of beta testing, was intended to expand Sonos’ footprint beyond its well-known audio products into the competitive streaming video market. The device promised to rival industry heavyweights like Roku, Amazon, Apple, and Google with features such as universal search, content aggregation, and support for popular streaming apps. Beyond that, Pinewood was designed to serve as an HDMI switcher with passthrough capabilities for gaming consoles and 4K Blu-ray players, while also enabling new surround sound configurations with Sonos’ existing speaker lineup.
However, Conrad informed employees that a foray into video is “off the table for now,” redirecting the Pinewood team to other initiatives as part of a broader effort to stabilize the company after a tumultuous 2024. The cancellation leaves Sonos without a major product launch for the second half of 2025, following the release of the Arc Ultra soundbar and Sub 4 late last year.
The decision comes amid a period of introspection for Sonos, which has struggled to regain consumer trust after a widely criticized app overhaul under former CEO Patrick Spence. Spence stepped down at the start of this year, with Conrad stepping in to steer the company back to its core strengths. Internally, some employees had expressed skepticism about Pinewood, fearing it could mirror the lukewarm reception of the Sonos Ace headphones—a product that saw the company enter a crowded market dominated by established players.
Instead of pushing into new territory, Sonos is doubling down on repairing its software ecosystem, a priority Conrad emphasized during the all-hands call.
The shelving of Pinewood—originally greenlit by Spence and championed by Chief Innovation Officer Nick Millington—underscores the shifting priorities at Sonos. Millington, who is currently focused on the app’s recovery, had viewed the streaming device as a passion project, according to sources familiar with the matter. Yet, with Conrad at the helm, the company appears intent on refocusing on its foundational audio experience rather than risking another ambitious leap.
The cancellation of Pinewood streaming player comes as for now, seems to want to focus on what it does best instead of trying to compete in an increasingly crowded consumer tech landscape.
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