Leaked Images Reveal Upcoming 'Sonos Move' Bluetooth Portable Speaker

[MacRumors]

More details have emerged about the unreleased portable Bluetooth speaker from Sonos, thanks to new images shared by WinFuture (via The Verge).

The German site has published several marketing images of what's apparently going to be called the Sonos Move, the first speaker of its kind by the audio electronics company.

As the pictures reveal, the speaker comes with a stationary base station, while an integrated handle allows the Sonos Move to be easily undocked and used as a Bluetooth portable speaker.

A Bluetooth/Wi-Fi toggle switch is located on the rear of the speaker in a recessed space, along with a power button and a pairing button. Below that is a USB Type-C port for charging the device and two pins for docking the speaker in the base station.

The existence of the device was confirmed last week in an FCC filing. Shortly afterwards, The Verge learned that it's both taller and slightly wider than the Sonos One, and that it supports AirPlay 2 as well as hands-free voice commands from Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant.

We still haven't heard any details about the battery life or possible waterproofing, but Sonos has sent out media invites for a press event on August 26, when we expect the Sonos Move will be officially unveiled.

Article Link: Leaked Images Reveal Upcoming 'Sonos Move' Bluetooth Portable Speaker

 

[Classie]

Would be a smart move from Apple to create a smaller, portable and more affordable HomePod...

 

[windywalks]

Would be a smart move from Apple to create a smaller, portable and more affordable HomePod...

It wouldn’t be a HomePod then
But yeah, it would be smart to broaden the speaker line and add some more affordable options, granted their speakers aren’t made during school hours like Amazon ones are.
I love my HomePod - the sound is great, but the lack of any other than standard wireless AirPlay input really sucks.

 

[cardfan]

Not sure why I’d want this. There’s only a zillion of these.

 

[44267547]

Would be a smart move from Apple to create a smaller, portable and more affordable HomePod...

More portable? I’d say the HomePod is fairly portable, and I’d even wager that really any Bluetooth music device is fairly portable. As far as Apple implementing a ‘smaller’ version of the HomePod, who says that they’re not?

The Reality is, the HomePod probably isn’t for everyone in Apples price segment, but if you’re looking for superior sound, the HomePod delivers in that segment, cause it’s more than just a ‘Bluetooth’ speaker.

 

[incoherent_1]

This is an insta-buy if it’s capable of being part of a surround sound pairing while docked.

Rear speaker while docked; portable speaker for the patio when undocked would give this great flexibility.

 

[Glockworkorange]

More portable? I’d say the HomePod is fairly portable, and I’d even wager that really any Bluetooth music device is fairly portable. As far as Apple implementing a ‘smaller’ version of the HomePod, who says that they’re not?

The Reality is, the HomePod probably isn’t for everyone in Apples price segment, but if you’re looking for superior sound, the HomePod delivers in that segment, cause it’s more than just a ‘Bluetooth’ speaker.

“As far as Apple implementing a ‘smaller’ version of the HomePod, who says that they’re not?”

I don’t know, as far as an Apple designed microwave oven, who says they’re not going to make one?

Maybe they’ll make an Apple designed jet—who says they’re not going to make one?

I mean, the argument is absurd.

 

[jimothyGator]

It wouldn’t be a HomePod then

why not?

 

[ipponrg]

More portable? I’d say the HomePod is fairly portable, and I’d even wager that really any Bluetooth music device is fairly portable. As far as Apple implementing a ‘smaller’ version of the HomePod, who says that they’re not?

The Reality is, the HomePod probably isn’t for everyone in Apples price segment, but if you’re looking for superior sound, the HomePod delivers in that segment, cause it’s more than just a ‘Bluetooth’ speaker.

Yep it’s also a “smart” speaker

I don’t know how you can say the homepod is fairly portable when you have to connect it to an outlet

 

[willryan42]

Not sure why I’d want this. There’s only a zillion of these.

I'm guessing you don't have Sonos speakers already, otherwise the advantage (and distinction from the zillion other BT speakers) is obvious.

 

[Blaze4G]

More portable? I’d say the HomePod is fairly portable, and I’d even wager that really any Bluetooth music device is fairly portable. As far as Apple implementing a ‘smaller’ version of the HomePod, who says that they’re not?

The Reality is, the HomePod probably isn’t for everyone in Apples price segment, but if you’re looking for superior sound, the HomePod delivers in that segment, cause it’s more than just a ‘Bluetooth’ speaker.

Am I able to charge the homepod and take it to the beach and play music? No? Well then it's not "fairly portable".

I mean, home telephones are portable...as long as you plug in the rj11 cord wherever you go.

 

[TrulsZK]

A Bluetooth/Wi-Fi toggle switch is located on the rear of the speaker in a recessed space, along with a power button and a pairing button. Below that is a USB Type-C port for charging the device and two pins for docking the speaker in the base station.

No AirPlay 2 when using it portable without wi-fi, or will it create its own hotspot like the Apple TV? Allowing you to connect to it without being connected to the wi-fi network yourself.

 

[Guyincognito76]

I’m hoping to get one of these for the bathroom, in the UK.

 

[archer75]

This is great! At home it can integrate with my other sonos speakers and being portable I can move it outside as needed and take it camping.

 

[windywalks]

why not?

The emoji I used didn't make the cut.
What I meant, is that they'd probably find a different name for it as it would be portable.

 

[bacaramac]

Just release this already, need for camping. Perfect setup since I have Sonos all over house and outside.

 

[44267547]

Am I able to charge the homepod and take it to the beach and play music?

That’s fair. In retrospect, I was alluding to the HomePod being able to be transferred around without issue to a different location in a house or office space. But as in being completely ‘wire free’ for beach locations or something else, that it is not. Either way, I’d say the HomePod serves to a different demographic that is perfectly fine with a wired application. It just depends how much freedom one wants with a device like the Sonos v.s. HomePod.

 

[CarlJ]

Not sure why I’d want this. There’s only a zillion of these.

There are not a zillion Bluetooth speakers that also play nicely in a Sonos sound system when it's at home. When this is released, there will be one.
[doublepost=1566225954][/doublepost]

More portable? I’d say the HomePod is fairly portable, ...

Okay, your HomePod is portable, but you're gonna end up regretting your decision to carry around that AC generator all the time. This Sonos speaker will likely also include some amount of waterproofing. Will you be wrapping your HomePod in plastic wrap when you take it outside? Portable means more than "being able to pick it up".

 

[44267547]

Will you be wrapping your HomePod in plastic wrap when you take it outside?.

Nah Carl, I wouldn’t go to the extreme of plastic wrapping it. Can you bring it outside? Sure. But it’s best suited for indoor environments where the sound/acoustics can truly take advantage of the room it’s in (As it’s intended to), My argument wasn’t clear to the original OP of this thread, The HomePod _is_portable, But not ‘wire free portable’ either. That’s obviously a disadvantage to those who want applications away from the house/office. I definitely see Apple merging onto a smaller, wire free Model in the future. The Sonos has a direct advantage here.

 

[CarlJ]

... The HomePod _is_portable, But not ‘wire free portable’ either. That’s obviously a disadvantage to those who want applications away from the house/office. I definitely see Apple merging onto a smaller, wire free Model in the future. The Sonos has a direct advantage here.

Arguably the iMac is portable - and there have been sitings of people lugging them into Starbucks - but few would try to describe it as a portable computer, they'd leave that adjective to laptops. The HomePod is more relocatable than portable. Don't get me wrong, I think the HomePod is fantastic in its category, but it doesn't shoehorn well into the widely understood "portable speaker" market (which pretty much requires the ability to operate without AC power and without an internet connection, and many in the space also go for some amount of waterproofing or at least splash resistance). This new Sonos speaker can play in both environments - home/wifi/AC and outside/bluetooth/battery, where it doesn't need anything other than a phone or tablet supplying audio to play.

I would also like to see Apple do a smaller portable HomePod in the future, but I fear they may leave their involvement in that market to Beats. The other place that Sonos has a huge advantage over HomePod is in home theater. Sonos makes speakers that are designed to play movie/television soundtracks, including center channel and surround sound, while Apple does not - if they did, I'd probably have HomePod speakers in my living room instead of Sonos.

 

[imola.zhp]

This is an insta-buy if it’s capable of being part of a surround sound pairing while docked.

Rear speaker while docked; portable speaker for the patio when undocked would give this great flexibility.

Agreed. I recently picked up a used Airport Express for a future project of mounting some permanent speakers on the front porch. Now I'm thinking this could be an alternative, dual purpose, option.

 

[Classie]

It wouldn’t be a HomePod then
But yeah, it would be smart to broaden the speaker line and add some more affordable options, granted their speakers aren’t made during school hours like Amazon ones are.
I love my HomePod - the sound is great, but the lack of any other than standard wireless AirPlay input really sucks.

I love my HomePod as well! My point being that I’m seeing more and more people interested in the smart speaker segment, but won’t even look at the HomePod due to price.
You can get a more than ok Sonos-ikea speaker for 99$... the possible costumers are shrinking rapidly...

 

[coolfactor]

In that recent review of the quality of the sound from HomePod and other wireless smart speakers, the Sonos was my least favourite. Doesn't give me a lot of confidence in this one.
[doublepost=1566259453][/doublepost]

Nah Carl, I wouldn’t go to the extreme of plastic wrapping it. Can you bring it outside? Sure. But it’s best suited for indoor environments where the sound/acoustics can truly take advantage of the room it’s in (As it’s intended to), My argument wasn’t clear to the original OP of this thread, The HomePod _is_portable, But not ‘wire free portable’ either. That’s obviously a disadvantage to those who want applications away from the house/office. I definitely see Apple merging onto a smaller, wire free Model in the future. The Sonos has a direct advantage here.

Yup, back in the day, I used to load up a backpack with Sony speakers powered by D-size batteries, plugged into my Walkman. Good times.

 

[fjfjfjfj]

Maybe it’s a speaker that’s connected to your WiFi, just like The other Sonos speakers in your house when it’s on the dock. But then you can lift it off the dock and take it outside and as long as its still in range of the Wi-Fi it will play just like all the other Sonos speakers. It lasts as long as the rechargeable battery lasts in it and then you re-dock it when you go back in. That would be great but have no idea if that works.