Next-Gen Sonos Smart Speakers Leak Ahead of March Launch

pcmag.com:

Details of the latest Sonos smart speakers have leaked ahead of an expected March release.

As The Verge(Opens in a new window) reports, a pair of new audio accessories—the Era 100 and Era 300—will cost $250 and $450, respectively, and include Bluetooth playback and USB-C line-in for connecting external sources (like a turntable).

Marketing images seen by The Verge show a uniquely designed, spatial audio-focused Era 300, which promises to produce "immersive, room-filling sound." Its curved body sits on top of a table or stand to direct audio forward, up, left, and right, and can be used as rear surrounds for Sonos' Dolby Atmos soundbars, like the Arc and second-gen Beam.

And while users may stream tracks from Amazon Music Unlimited, the manufacturer has yet to reach an agreement to play Apple Music's Dolby Atmos library, The Verge reports. (That could change before launch.)

The more expensive of the upcoming pair, the Era 300 will likely slot right into Sonos' existing lineup alongside the flagship Sonos Five. But the same can't necessarily be said for the second-gen One speaker, which may be replaced by the similarly sized Era 100. A sort of evolved Sonos One, the slightly rounder Era 100 will reportedly feature true stereo sound, an enlarged mid-woofer for more powerful bass, and an indented bar for better volume control.

Both speakers include Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0, and support for AirPlay 2, Sonos Voice Control, and Amazon Alexa; it's unclear whether Sonos' ongoing legal battle with Google will mean Assistant is left off the roster. Customers can also look for a new speech bubble button among the standard controls to temporarily mute the built-in microphones; a physical switch on the back also disconnects power to the