All signs pointed to Sonos wireless headphones being the next product launched by the multi-room giant, but it appears a budget soundbar is actually next in line. That's according to The Verge, which has mocked up some renders based on photos of the device.
The most notable thing about the device (codenamed Fury, with the product number S36) is its price. At just $249 (about £190, AU$340), it's $200 cheaper than Sonos' current cheapest soundbar, the Award-winning Sonos Beam Gen 2. And a lot cheaper than the flagship (and also Award-winning) Sonos Arc.
According to the report, the device will go on sale on 7th June.
The Fury is said to be smaller than Sonos' other soundbars, with fewer drivers. It will lack Dolby Atmos and built-in mics for voice assistant functionality (something Sonos has experimented with with its 'SL' variants of some of its most popular speakers).
It's also thought to lack an HDMI socket, limiting you to Dolby Digital surround sound.
As well as the typical horizontal orientation, the new Sonos soundbar can alternatively be wall-mounted vertically, if desired. That's so it can be used as a surround speaker add-on for the Sonos Arc (and, presumably, the Beam). With its ends drivers slightly angled, it could be better at sending audio towards the ceiling, adding height when listening in Dolby Atmos.
Like Sonos' other soundbars, it should be available in black or white.
Sonos has refused to comment on the leak, and nothing is official as yet. But if this is on the money, it looks as if we'll have longer to wait before we finally see the Sonos headphones, or the smart TV interface that's also been rumoured.
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