It has been known for some time that Sonos has been working on a streaming video device that was aimed at being launched in 2025, with major leaks revealing what it would imply.
Now, after the departure of the CEO of Sonos following the horrible 2024 of the company, Sonos has a new CEO which changes a lot of things within the company – and according to The Verge, this has led to the cancellation of the launch of the streaming video box. The penis has proven to have very precise information over the years, which is almost certainly correct.
Now, given that I have called this “condemned” box on the basis of the details that we initially heard – in particular, that it would have software based on advertisements, but would cost up to $ 400 – I cannot say that I reacted with great surprises to see these news … But in fact, I really hope that this project will not be completely dead, because half of that seemed incredible.
Sonos’ streaming box has promised to provide a brand new type of wireless home theater experience with sound speakers, acting as an HDMI switch with a 4K 120Hz Passhoux. It is an excellent feature in itself because even in 2025, most of the best televisions will only have two HDMI 2.1 ports, and one will probably be the HDMI EARC port for your audio system.
But also, HDMI switches with automatic switching between sources are really rare, so a more intelligent version that is very desirable.
In addition, the box has been ready to offer new home theater configuration options with Sonos speakers. Currently, the Surround Sonos system consists of a cable sound bar at the TV, two rear speakers and an optional subwoofer, but the streaming box offered the possibility of using individual sound speakers like front and straight channels, with a sound bar that potentially acts as a central speaker.
Sonos fans have been crying for years, to provide a more “real” surround system as an alternative to the best bars of its Dolby Atmos. It finally seemed to be on the way – and I hope that this baby will not be thrown with bath water.
A simpler box, is it more competitive on prices?
I have already written an essay on the reasons why this flexibility could have made Sonos Box a great success with theater lovers at home, so I will not go too deeply.
But let me define what I would like to see because I think there is something that could be a great success here. What if Sonos could still publish a connection box? He simply wouldn’t include the Smart TV part, which means that she needs much less powerful treatment.
It would always understand the HDMI Passthrough and switching functionality, as well as wireless connectivity to sonos speakers-maybe it costs around $ 200. It is not cheap, but as part of the right speaker system, it could easily be worth it.
Compare this to the Quad Theatre Sony Bravia, which costs $ 2,500. This is a system with a box that includes four surround speakers and a wireless connector for your TV. Each speaker has drivers of shooting forward and upwards.
The sonos equivalent to this would be my hypothetical wireless TV connection box, plus four Sonos Era 300 speakers. Like the Sony, this would provide both surround and upward drivers – but the cost of this set would be, when writing the editorial moment, $ 1,906. It is $ 200 for my box that I invented and $ 853 per pair of Sonos ERA 300 speakers.
We could add a sound radius for $ 179 as a central channel (something that the Sony system is sorely lacking unless it is connected to a Sony TV), while spending much less than the costs of the Sony option – you can also add a subwoofer, in this case, if you wish.
This type of speakers’ configuration, with speakers on the left and right in front and right, is not possible with a sonos configuration at the moment-a box that allows it could be a lot compared to most other wireless home theater configurations, even if it seems to be expensive to buy alone at first glance.
So what I really hope is that Sonos plans to kill the Smart TV software side of things that no one really wanted, but keeps a smaller, leaner and nasty version of his television box.
I have already written that if Sonos does not have a kind of technology for wireless connections with upcoming televisions, it will have a real long -term problem, because it will absolutely become more common in the next two years.
It would solve this problem And Allowing even better options for which fans have shouted – this is the kind of thing that could put sounds back in the good graces of fans. Let’s see if it happens …
