Amazon reportedly working on an Echo speaker to compete directly with the HomePod
Amazon is reportedly working on a new Echo smart speaker that will go head-to-head with Apple’s HomePod and Sonos’ more high-profile options.
Sonos
Apple Music comes to Alexa in Australia and New Zealand via Echo, Fire TV & Sonos devices
The Apple Music-Alexa integration has expanded to customers in Australia and New Zealand after launching in the United Kingdom and Ireland in April.
Select Sonos speakers gain AirPlay 2 support
The latest Sonos speakers now support AirPlay 2 with multi-room audio and Siri voice control. Older speakers can be grouped with one of the compatible speakers to use AirPlay 2.
Sonos unveils Beam smart sound bar, confirms AirPlay 2 and Siri coming to its speakers in July
Sonos today unveiled a new Beam smart sound bar for your TV and announced that official support for Apple’s latest AirPlay 2 media-streaming technology, along with Siri voice control, is coming to select Sonos wireless speakers via a free software update in July.
Sonos cuts 96 employees in a bid to boost profitability ahead of IPO
In a move to “stay nimble” and boost profitability, Sonos cut about 6% of its workers ahead of an anticipated initial public offering that could take place as soon as June.
Sonos welcomes HomePod with a snarky playlist hosted on Spotify
Sonos has welcomed Apple’s new competitor, the $349 HomePod, by tweeting out a snarky “Welcome to the Party Mix” playlist hosted on Spotify along with a warm message.
Sonos debuts One speaker with Alexa, support for AirPlay 2 & Google Assistant due in 2018
Sonos today unveiled its Alexa-powered HomePod competitor while confirming that support for AirPlay 2 and Google Assistant is coming next year.
Apple Music and Sonos promote partnership in new TV spot
Apple Music and Sonos teamed up to release a new television spot on Monday night, promoting their recently-announced partnership. The ad, which debuted during the Grammy Music Awards, features products from both brands, as well as a handful of music stars.
We’ve embedded the ad below, but for a little context, the stars you see are Killer Mike, a hip-hop artist and part of the popular duo Run the Jewels; Matt Berninger, frontman for indie rock band The National; and Annie Clark, better known by her stage name St. Vincent.
Apple Music now available on Sonos wireless speakers worldwide
As of today, owners of Sonos systems around the world can stream Apple Music directly through their wireless speaker hardware, the company announced. Anyone with an Apple Music subscription, or even a free trial, can stream any song from Apple’s catalog to their Sonos speakers.
Just choose Add Music Service in Sonos’s companion iPhone app, scroll down to the Apple Music icon and log into your account.
Apple Music is coming to Sonos speakers on December 15
Apple Music streaming will be coming to Sonos speakers on December 15, the company announced on Twitter this morning. Eddy Cue, Apple’s Vice President of Internet Software and Services, said earlier this year that Apple Music support will launch before year-end.
Confirmed: Apple Music coming to Sonos systems by end of 2015
Apple Music is a really great service until you realize that Spotify, the world leader in music streaming, works across a bunch of mobile and desktop platforms and is supported by dozens of Hi-Fi equipment, wireless speakers, gaming consoles, connected TV sets and more.
But Apple does not intend to ignore this aspect of Spotify. In what could only be described as a hint of broader third-party support in the works, both Sonos and Apple have now officially confirmed working together to bring Apple Music to Sonos hardware by the end of the year.
Sonos revamps iOS app, adds tons of new features
Sonos has introduced a major new version of its app which allows you to control your Sonos hardware using an iPhone, iPod touch or iPad.
Following the release of a redesigned Android app earlier in the year, Sonos has now refreshed its iOS counterpart with a revamped user interface, while adding dozens of new features, refinements and enhancements.
The all-new Sonos 5.0, in addition to the flattened interface, now supports VoiceOver (on iOS 7 devices only), lets you use the included Universal Search feature to search multiple music services at once (Google Play Music, MLB, Beats Music, Shuffler.fm and others) and more.
The new version is now available in the App Store…