What you need to know
- FCC filings hint that a portable Sonos speaker could be on the way.
- The filings describe a device that could feature a design similar to that of the UE Boom.
- The device features a rechargeable battery and wireless charging dock.
The Sonos Move is easily one of the best smart speakers on the market right now, with a slick, waterproof design, great sound, and support for Google Assistant and Alexa. But as great as the Sonos Move is, the Bluetooth speaker isn't exactly portable, as noted in our Sonos Move review, and unfortunately, Sonos' lineup doesn't include any portable Bluetooth speakers. That could soon change though, as indicated by a recent FCC filing.
A device with the model number S27 was listed at the FCC (via The Verge), which is highly likely to represent a speaker. Besides the model number, which is similar to the S17 model number of the Sonos Move, a diagram was found on the filing that shows an image of a device that looks similarly shaped to the popular UE Boom portable speaker.
The device in the image appears to work with a wireless charging stand, and apparently, the device looks to be less powerful than the Sonos Move, which could indicate a smaller form factor. The FCC filing also shows a circular label that will be placed on the bottom of the speaker, which furthers the theory that this is could be a cylindrically-shaped speaker.
It's also noted that the device features WiFi 5, as opposed to the newer WiFi 6. This would make the new speaker the first in Sonos' lineup to offer anything above WiFi 4, so it's at least a step up in that regard. It also suggests the speaker could come with support for Google Assistant, similar to other Sonos speakers.
For now, much of this is just conjecture, so we'll have to wait and see what Sonos comes up with. Based on previous Sonos speakers, this one potentially could give Ultimate Ears a run for its money.
