Last summer we got a sneak peek at the new high-end speakers that Sonos has in the works. Now it’s surfaced that the upcoming premium products will be called the Era 100 and 300, set to compete with Apple’s HomePod 2. Further, a second-gen portable Sonos Move is in the pipeline and another release is coming that will be in a “brand new category.”
Sonos Era speakers
Reported by The Verge, the official names of the upcoming flagship Sonos speakers will be Era 300 and Era 100. Along with learning those details from sources, The Verge found the new speakers’ names referenced in documentation from speaker mount maker Sanus.
The speakers were developed under the codenames Optimo 2 and 1 with a focus on Dolby Atmos Spatial Audio. This is how The Verge’s Chris Welch previously described the design of the unique Era 300:
“Encased in a funky, dual-angled shell, the new device will be positioned as the best-sounding speaker that Sonos has ever produced. It includes an arsenal of drivers, including several that fire in different directions from beneath the shell between the front speaker grille and backplate. The 3D recreation above is bronze-colored, but Optimo 2 will likely stick to Sonos’ traditional white and black color choices.”
Prototypes of the Era 300 were said to feature 2x the RAM and 8x “more flash memory than any previous Sonos speaker.” The Era 300 may come with WiFi 6 and Bluetooth, built-in mics, auto EQ, and even a USB-C line-in being considered. However, those details could change by the time the speaker(s) make it to market.
It isn’t known if the Era 300 will replace the Sonos Five or if it will slot above that speaker in the lineup.
The Verge notes that fewer details are known about the Era 100 but it may end up being a Sonos One replacement with Dolby Atmos support. Plus an Era 100 SL (no mics built-in) may also be in the cards.
Pricing and release details are still unclear but it’s likely we’ll see the Era speakers launch this year and compete with Apple’s revived full-size HomePod.
Sonos Move 2
The Verge also reports that development is going on for the next Sonos Move, the company’s popular portable speaker. No details were shared, but the original was released in 2019, so a refresh could bring improved sound, the latest connectivity, and more.
More from Sonos this year
Top comment by Lamar Taylor
I bought the Sonos Arc with 2 Ones and the subwoofer for my living room. Loved it so much I bought the same setup for my bedroom. I bought the Sonos Beam 2 with 2 Ones and the subwoofer for my guest room. I bought the Move and the Roam for when I travel. I love the Sonos ecosystem and I got my cash ready for an upgrade. I hope Sonos updates the Ones with an upward firing speaker for Dolby Atmos when used as surround speakers. If I had one complaint about Sonos it would be with their Bluetooth speakers. The Move and Roam have weak battery lives especially compared to other speakers on the market. The battery on the Move drains even when you don’t use it so hopefully a new version would address that flaw. For the record…they both sound good
Sonos CEO Patrick Spence has previously shared that the company is working on entering “four new product categories – with the first device in a brand new category due this year.” That is expected to be something different from the Era speakers which will be part of its home audio/theater lineup.
Highlighted by The Verge, Spence also previously said Sonos would “reset the bar in our existing product categories, further differentiating Sonos as the choice for premium home audio.”
Are you excited to see what Sonos has up its sleeve this year? Share your thoughts in the comments!
3D rendering by The Verge’s Alex Castro
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