Sonos is planning to release wireless over-ear headphones to rival Apple AirPods Max in June, following a software snag that delayed its production, according to a new report from Bloomberg.
The setback — tied to how the wireless over-ear headphones connect to Wi-Fi networks — means the company now expects to begin selling the product in the first half of June, a month later than previously hoped, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the plans are private.
Interestingly, Sonos has been building its prototypes with Luxshare, an Apple supplier in China. Sonos will also use Luxshare to mass produce the headphones. It expects to make about 650,000 to 1 million units of the headphones
Pricing for the Sonos wireless headphones is predicted to land around $449. That's about $100 under the $549 retail price of Apple's AirPods Max (currently on sale for $479.99), but slightly higher than the Bose QuietComfort Ultra and Sony WH-1000XM5. The headphones will work with other Sonos devices and stream audio directly from TVs and music services. They will likely come in black and white to match the company's existing product lineup and be available in all major markets. A revamped mobile app (codenamed Passport) will precede the headphones and will allow users to more easily set up and control their Sonos products when away from home.
In addition to the over-ear model, Sonos is discussing an in-ear model (codenamed Disco) that would rival Apple's most popular AirPods with support for streaming over Wi-Fi. The company has also been working on a large speaker for use at parties, competing with the PartyBox from JBL, a television set-top box, new TV sound bars, an upgraded portable speaker, and new amplifiers. The set top box could launch in 2025.
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The setback — tied to how the wireless over-ear headphones connect to Wi-Fi networks — means the company now expects to begin selling the product in the first half of June, a month later than previously hoped, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the plans are private.
Interestingly, Sonos has been building its prototypes with Luxshare, an Apple supplier in China. Sonos will also use Luxshare to mass produce the headphones. It expects to make about 650,000 to 1 million units of the headphones
Pricing for the Sonos wireless headphones is predicted to land around $449. That's about $100 under the $549 retail price of Apple's AirPods Max (currently on sale for $479.99), but slightly higher than the Bose QuietComfort Ultra and Sony WH-1000XM5. The headphones will work with other Sonos devices and stream audio directly from TVs and music services. They will likely come in black and white to match the company's existing product lineup and be available in all major markets. A revamped mobile app (codenamed Passport) will precede the headphones and will allow users to more easily set up and control their Sonos products when away from home.
In addition to the over-ear model, Sonos is discussing an in-ear model (codenamed Disco) that would rival Apple's most popular AirPods with support for streaming over Wi-Fi. The company has also been working on a large speaker for use at parties, competing with the PartyBox from JBL, a television set-top box, new TV sound bars, an upgraded portable speaker, and new amplifiers. The set top box could launch in 2025.
Please download the iClarified app or follow iClarified on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and RSS for more updates.