Sonos’s rumoured TV streaming box could cost up to a staggering $400 (around £320) according to a new report offering insight into the development of the device.
According to a new report from The Verge, Sonos first video-based product could be a high-end Android-based TV box to rival the Apple TV 4K, Amazon’s Fire TV range and various Roku players.
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The writer – who’s had an insider accurately spilling the beans about several Sonos products in recent years – says he’s seen images of that box and says it takes the form of a flat black square that’s a little thicker than a deck of cards.
The sources (note the plural) say there’s a “beautiful” interface within that rather standard form factor, which could be the first to truly combine content best from the various streaming accounts (Netflix, Disney+, etc.) within one interface.
Voice control will offer shortcuts to the various apps and it comes via a physical remote control. Earlier reports into this rumoured device had suggested it may rely on the Sonos app for control.
Presumably that’s been taken off the table because Sonos has enough on its plate bringing the app out of its current state, which cost the CEO his job.
Among the other intriguing features is surround sound thanks to tight integration with existing Sonos speakers and soundbars. It would also make sense if the set-top box had quick pairing functionality with the Sonos Ace headphones.
The report said the box also double as a HDMI switch for connecting other devices like games consoles and Blu-ray players. This would make it a hub receiver for all home entertainment products to play content through the Sonos audio set up.
“With Pinewood [the rumoured codename for the device], Sonos aims to take greater control of the I/O stack,” the report says. “The box will be able to wirelessly transmit lag-free TV audio to the company’s soundbars and other Sonos products.”
Has Sonos learned nothing?
The Sonos set-top box could be the best on the market, but if it really costs that much, then really? What’s the point of it even existing.
If Sonos wants to get back into the good graces of fans after the app debacle, then the last thing it should be doing is charging over the odds for a new device in a product category it has no track record in.
