The Pure Connect on-demand music service has today launched in the US, joining the Pure Jongo family of speakers in the UK company's fresh assault on the US market.
Pure Connect, previously only available in the UK and selected European countries, uniquely offers on-demand and live radio, alongside a Spotify style subscription music service, and access to your own digital music library.
The music service is designed to work in combination with the Pure Jongo wireless speakers, which includes the Jongo S3, the Jongo T2, T4 and T6, and the Jongo A2 adapter. The Pure Jongo speakers are now on sale in Best Buy and Walmart, and on Amazon.
The Jongo family of speakers competes with Sonos by offering wireless, multiroom functionality, as well as working as individual wireless speakers.
Nick Hucker, director of marketing, Pure, believe there's a huge potential audience for Pure Connect and Jongo, who want streaming music and radio in an easy to use package, with over 240 million adults in the US listening to live radio.
Hucker said: "[There is] a huge audience who want to try streaming but haven't found the right product or service. We've developed Jongo and Pure Connect to work seamlessly together to cater for this mainstream audience and the way people want to listen to music now."
The Pure Jongo wireless speakers offer both wireless and Bluetooth streaming, with Pure reporting that by 2017 the global market for wireless speakers is expected to reach 18.5m units. The iPod dock market meanwhile is predicted to be 16.7m units by then.
The Jongo family of wireless speakers are compatible with Android and Apple tablets and smartphones, and can work individually or as part of a wider multiroom system or indeed a traditional hi-fi using the A2 adapter.
Pure Connect is a remote control for your Jongo speaker or system, as well as a streaming music service. It's available in three price strands: Pure Connect Green (free), Pure Connect Blue ($4.99/month, unlimited streaming of subscription music) and Pure Connect Violet ($9.99/month, adds offline playback).
Access to the app's features is also available on the Pure Connect website.
The Pure Connect service is now live in the US (as well as in the UK), while the Pure Jongo speakers are on sale in around 2,800 Walmart stores, 300 Best Buy stores and online in the US.
MORE: Pure Jongo S3 review
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by Joe Cox
