Sonos is reportedly working on a new portable Wi-Fi and Bluetooth speaker that is set to hit the market this coming fall.
The American consumer electronics company has tried to keep the project secret until its big reveal, but some eager fans and tech journalists may have stumbled upon some details regarding it.
New Sonos Portable Speaker
In a recent article, The Verge discovered two Sonos devices that were submitted for approval from the Federal Communications Commission. One of the devices, under product model S17, is described as a high-performance wireless speaker that is part of Sonos' sound system.
The supposed new Sonos speaker is capable of Wi-Fi and Bluetooth audio streaming. If true, this will be the first time the speakers maker has included Bluetooth music playback support in one of its products.
Previous offerings only required Wi-Fi to play music, audiobooks, and podcasts from streaming services. Adding Bluetooth capabilities to the upcoming speaker will allow it to play content from any Bluetooth-enabled device even when there is no Wi-Fi connection available.
The device will also feature Bluetooth Low Energy for easier setup. The technology allows battery-operated devices to run longer because of lower power consumption.
Other details mentioned in the FCC filing include provisions for USB-C and Ethernet ports.
Meanwhile, Dave Zatz of tech website Zatz Not Funny! released a photo of what the upcoming Sonos portable speaker could look like. The device shown in the image has controls similar to those found on top of the Sonos One. However, the rumored speaker seems to have more rounded features compared to the earlier device.
Other Features
The Verge report also discussed other possible features of the new speaker based on an interview with a person familiar with the matter, as well as additional images of the device.
The Sonos device is said to be taller compared to earlier product offerings such as the Sonos One or the Sonos Play:1. It also appears to support hands-free voice command applications such as Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa.
As for charging, the new portable speaker can be powered up using a base station or through USB-C.
If the speaker is placed in Bluetooth mode, its Sonos apps will not be available. The device will have to be paired with another Bluetooth enabled gadget in order to play. Voice command software will also not work in this mode.
The upcoming Sonos speaker will also feature Apple Airplay 2 support.
