Sonos Wireless Audio Is Actually Wireless Now Michael Kwan September 2, 2014 Press Release I really enjoy my Sonos PLAY:1, but up until now, it has come with a pretty serious limitation. While it may take advantage of the Sonos wireless HiFi technology, it still requires a cabled connection in some way. That has changed with the launch of the Sonos 5.1 software update. Now, you can make that first connection wirelessly via Wi-Fi to your Sonos PLAY:1, PLAY:3 or PLAY:5 or PLAYBAR and still add more speakers to your network over time. They do say that using the first wired connection is still preferable, but at least you’ve got the option to go wireless now. The noted exception is with 3.1 or 5.1 home theater configurations. Just as they added SoundCloud and updated the mobile app, Sonos is continuing to improve the user experience with its family of products. By eliminating the need for a wired connection or a Bridge, the Sonos system is a little more flexible. The Sonos Bridge will continue to be sold for $59 Canadian, but they’re also launching a beefier version called the Sonos Boost. It’s effectively a Bridge on steroids with enterprise-grade wireless capabilities for better range and fidelity. Expect the Boost to launch soon for $109 Canadian. Check out the full press release below for both the Sonos 5.1 update and the Sonos Boost. [hide-this-part morelink=”Full Press Release”] Introducing an Even Simpler Sonos Just start with a speaker. Everything we do is built on the belief that listening to your music at home should be as easy as possible without compromising on our legendary sound quality. Through software, we are able to continuously improve Sonos – making it easier, faster and more flexible for all, including those unboxing Sonos in their homes for the very first time. Today, getting started with Sonos becomes even easier as we launch Sonos 5.1, a major software update that allows you to set up and run Sonos on your existing WiFi network. From now on, a wired connection to your router – or a SONOS BRIDGE – is no longer required. Start with a speaker Go from unboxing to jamming out in only a few simple steps. Start with a PLAY:1 at $199, your smartphone or tablet*, and connect to your WiFi. Then, simply add your favorite music services like Spotify or Pandora, and start streaming. From there – you can easily expand your system. Add more speakers to other rooms at the touch of a button and control all your music at home from one place. Simple WiFi setup, same rock-solid wireless: Stream HiFi sound to any room in your home without dropouts, echoes, or delays. Our new software delivers the full experience people know and love from Sonos using your existing WiFi network. Following our largest beta test to date over the last several months, we’ve studied the performance across all kinds of home environments around the world to ensure the new WiFi-enabled setup meets our high standards. The vast majority of new customers will now be able to use the WiFi setup, which works for all speakers within range of the WiFi router. But the dedicated Sonos network, which is only obtained through a wired connection to your router, remains the best way to ensure the most bulletproof experience, specifically for the following scenarios: • Homes where the WiFi signal doesn’t reach every room in which you may want to put a speaker • Sonos 3.1 and 5.1 home theater setups still require a wired connection; a standalone PLAYBAR does not Existing customers using a BRIDGE or another wired component to the router are already benefitting from a dedicated Sonos network, and shouldn’t change a thing. Boost your signal Alongside the development of today’s software update, we’ve also been working on an even more powerful wireless accessory as an alternative to the BRIDGE called the SONOS BOOST. Available later this year for $99, the BOOST applies over a decade of learning about the varying needs of our customers and offers enterprise-grade wireless capabilities to serve even the most challenging home WiFi environments. Look for the BOOST’s official launch in the coming months. To find out more about getting started with Sonos, go to: www.sonos.com/rock-solid-wireless *For information on Sonos 5.1, including compatibility and supported devices, please visit: http://www.sonos.com/software/release/5.1 Special thanks to our thousands of beta testers from all over the world who helped us bring our vision for an even simpler Sonos to life. [/hide-this-part] Via Sonos Blog Share This With The World!
