Best Buy Canada jumped the gun. A new Sonos speaker called the Play appeared in the online shop before anyone at Sonos could say a word. The listing reveals a portable speaker built for the beach, the backyard, and anywhere else life takes you. It also charges your phone.
Built for the road and the rain
The Play shrugs off the elements. IP67 rating means dust stays out and water rolls off. Drop it in a puddle? It’ll be fine. A carrying strap lets you hook it to a backpack or bike.
Then there is the battery. Sonos promises 24 hours of playback. It even doubles as a power bank when your phone is gasping for air.
A streaming chameleon for home and away
Most Bluetooth speakers force you to pick a lane. The Play does not. At home it connects over Wi-Fi and slides into your existing Sonos system. We are talking multi-room audio with up to 32 speakers. Leave the house and it switches to Bluetooth 5.3 seamlessly.
The sound adapts too. Automatic Trueplay tunes the audio to whatever space you occupy, whether that is a hotel room or a park bench. Alexa lives inside for voice control. Apple users get AirPlay 2. Want to plug in an old record player? A separate adapter adds a line-in port.
What we still don’t know
The Canadian Best Buy page lists the Play at 399.99 Canadian dollars, about 250 euros. US pricing has not been announced. The same goes for an official release date, though the retailer’s site points to the end of March.
If you’re in the market for a bluetooth speaker, check out the best that’s out now.
Sonos has stayed quiet. But the cat is out of the bag. A rugged, repairable speaker with real battery stamina is coming. If you have been waiting for a portable Sonos that does not force you to toss it when the battery dies, this one is worth holding out for.