Sonos adds direct music streaming from Android devices

Sonos has added direct music playback from Android devices, allowing you to stream locally stored music on Android phones and tablets to your Sonos speakers.

Sonos added local music support from Apple devices at the end of last year, and now a free update to the Sonos Controller app for Android brings the same functionality to Android devices.

You'll need a device with Android 2.1 OS or higher (Android 2.2 for podcasts), and to then update your Sonos Controller app to version 4.1.1.

Provided your phone/tablet is on the same wireless network as your Sonos system, you will now be given an option to access 'This Mobile Device', which will show your device's "music, playlists and podcasts".

Sonos says the upgrade supports music files in your 'Music' folder, suggesting other music apps won't be supported directly.

As Sonos says: "Tracks downloaded directly from the Google Play Store are not immediately available for playback.

"To play these tracks through Sonos, you must download them from Google Play to a computer, and then transfer them to your Android device’s Music folder."

The Sonos wireless hi-fi family includes the Playbar, Play:3, Play:5 and Sub, as well as the Connect, Connect: Amp and Bridge.

by Joe Cox

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Joe is the Content Director for What Hi-Fi? and Future’s Product Testing, having previously been the Global Editor-in-Chief of What Hi-Fi?. He has worked on What Hi-Fi? across the print magazine and website for almost 20 years, writing news, reviews and features on everything from turntables to TVs, headphones to hi-fi separates. He has covered product launch events across the world, from Apple to Technics, Sony and Samsung; reported from CES, the Bristol Show, and Munich High End for many years; and written for sites such as the BBC, Stuff and The Guardian. In his spare time, he enjoys expanding his vinyl collection and cycling (not at the same time).