Ekhbary News Agency | 2024-05-15
Sonos has unveiled "Sonos 27," a significant overhaul of its operating system and accompanying app, marking a pivotal moment for the audio technology firm. This update introduces the ability for external AI agents to control Sonos systems, alongside a completely redesigned user interface and a groundbreaking feature called "Sonos Fabric." The company, for what it's worth, appears eager to move past the widely criticized 2024 app update that led to leadership changes and a pause in new product releases.
AI Integration and Enhanced Control
A central pillar of the Sonos 27 platform is its open approach to AI. Users will now connect "any outside AI assistant or agent," including popular options like ChatGPT, directly to their Sonos system. This means commands for playing specific songs, adjusting volume, or moving audio between speakers can be issued through existing AI tools without interrupting other tasks. Sonos confirms it hosts a public Model Context Protocol (MCP) server, enabling seamless discovery and connection for various AI platforms. Furthermore, Sonos is developing "Custom Agents," allowing users to craft personalized AI assistants with unique models, personas, and voices, alongside an updated Sonos 27 voice assistant tailored for music and mood curation.
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Introducing Sonos Fabric and App Redesign
Beyond AI, Sonos 27 introduces "Sonos Fabric," an innovative capability allowing products to "sense" and adapt to other system members. This enables automatic role changes for speakers based on their placement; for instance, Move 2 or Play speakers positioned behind a couch can instantly function as surround sound components for a Sonos soundbar. This is achieved through high-frequency sound detection, requiring no user input. Fabric also facilitates headphone linking for the new Ace Ultra, connecting them to a Sonos system as if they were another speaker, allowing direct audio transfer. This feature will debut as "early access" with the Ace Ultra's launch on September 29. Concurrently, the Sonos app receives a comprehensive redesign, featuring persistent home, system, and search tabs, plus the ability to pin favorite speakers, streamlining user interaction significantly.
