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Sonos Announces Limited Time Sale Offering Two 'Sonos One' Speakers for $349 [Update: Now Available]
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When the HomePod supports than one service, I might reconsider.
I wouldn't by a HomePod until it actually supports stereo and multiroom. HomePod 2 needs a feature set after all.
1. Apple Music support is 'read only'. You can play stuff just fine, playlists, 'For You' and all that, but you can't make any changes to your playlists etc. Instead you make playlists and favourites on the Sonos, which can also include tracks from other sources. It is a bit frustrating.
2. The reason Apple would like you to think the game is between HomePod and the Play 3 is because the Play 3 is the oldest product Sonos sell, it cost a similar amount to the HomePod, and in terms of quality (IMHO) it's not the best of the bunch. Unless the HomePod is ridiculously loud, it's competition is the Sonos One or the Play 1. Or even a stereo pair of those.
Apple has already said the HomePod (1) will support these features. Take a million deep breaths or so, and you'll be able to buy a HomePod with multi-room and stereo audio, probably March or April.
We'll get through these difficult times together.
A better comparison to the HomePod from Sonos, the Play 3 for $299. One to one and the sound out of the Play 3 a good upgrade from the Play One. Not heard HomePod so the only sound comparisons subject to speaker quality, numbers, and sizes. The Play 3 seems competitive to the HomePod in features. Nice to save $50 as a bonus.
I would not buy a Play 3 until it’s updated. It was released in 2011 and is surely the next speaker in the lineup to get a refresh. For somebody who’s looking for a better alternative to the HomePod, 2 Ones are a good choice.
To be accurate, when HomePod supports everything iTunes currently does I might reconsider.
My bad, I actually added on the $50 Echo Dot to make the comparrison complete. $299 you get the Sonos Play 3 and voice recognition via the Echo Dot. HomePod has voice so wanted to make as complete a comparison as possible, then blew it by not being more complete with my example description. Thirty Lashes.
Sonos all the way. Plus later this year it'll support Google and AirPlay 2. The sound quality is superb and like many have said... already offers Multi Room! As much as I'd love to support a HomePod the price is horribly high and does not support enough outside apps and functionality. I'll see how it evolves towards the Fall.
Lots of complaints about alexa on Sonos which is the reason I just went with the Echo for the time being. I love Sonos and would only buy the Home Pod over Sonos One if they would integrate more music services and smart features. I have no interest in the Apple Ecosystem on this one. If you are going to charge $349 you better be able to compete with the features offered on other Smart Speakers such as Spotify and Nest. The Home Pod may just be the first apple product I dont buy unless I just want good speakers to stream my itunes library. But even then it is quite expensive at $349 a piece. Airplay 2 and Sonos One will work just fine for the price.
Airplay 2 will not be quite as good as it should be on Sonos from what I understand. I believe you will have to stream directly from apple device rather than ask Alexa to play a song from your itunes Library. I can already do that with Airplay 1 with an airport express and other Airplay devices.
They will be available shortly after launch. Proof? My 11.3 beta iPad platform is already running Airplay 2, and it's HomePod compatible. So when all other devices are compatible with HomePod, Airplay 2, etc., in... a month? everything will work. Plus, we haven't heard the HomePod. It is not just a loudspeaker. It does a lot of processing to the sound that only the $85,000 Beomaster has done something like before. In that context, I think we should wait until we hear it.
Airplay 2 will still have to be transmitted from a phone or ipad. You will not be able say Hey Siri directly to the Sonos 1 like speaking to Alexa or Google which will work with Sonos 1. I still like all the features of Alexa and Sonos over all the proprietary BS that Apple Makes you use with their Home Pod. I dont want Apple Music, I want Spotify. I dont want Ecobee thermostat, I want nest control. For $349 it should support everything that Alexa and Google do.
It’s not feeling the heat it’s call strategic planning. Offer a better deal then upcoming competition and take the market.
Over the last several years I have built out quite the Sonos system in my home. Last year I finally invested in the Soundbar and Sub, they sound fantastic and are a worthy replacement for what was my aging Bose surround speakers. It sounds at least as good.
I am sure that the HomePod will sound excellent, but I am invested and love my Sonos products and with the echo dot I have most of the functionality I need. I do subscribe to Apple Music and I hope Apple won’t pull support for Sonos it would be a pain to switch services.
I am sure that the HomePod will sound excellent, but I am invested and love my Sonos products and with the echo dot I have most of the functionality I need. I do subscribe to Apple Music and I hope Apple won’t pull support for Sonos it would be a pain to switch services.
I'm not sure what you mean, but it did remind me:
I wonder whether HomePod even supports playing music from iTunes? In other words, if I have iTunes with MP3s open on my mac and on the same wifi, can the HomePod play from it using Siri? Or do I have to manually AirPlay from the Mac to the HomePod?
Even if you wait, though, you still need to pony up another $349 for a second HomePod. Will two HomePods sound that much better than two Sonos Ones for half the price? Time will tell. Personally I invested in Sonos years ago because it allows me to use the speakers of my choice. I wanted in-ceiling speakers for my home when I remodeled it and Sonos can’t be beat when it comes to integrating with existing home stereo systems. I always hoped Apple would buy them and offer a complete home audio solution.
Just because something is available in a beta doesn't mean it's going to be included in the final release. Apple sometimes has features in the betas that get removed before the final release. iCloud Messages being pulled from 11.0 before the final release is a good, recent example. I don't know whether those features will be working in the final release of 11.3 or not; but to say that the 'proof' that they're going to be in the final release is that they're in the beta is nonsense.