Sonos has unveiled its first new device in over a year, the Sonos Play, a hybrid speaker designed to move seamlessly from a desk to a kitchen or garden. Priced at around £235, the pill-shaped speaker sits on a dock but weighs just 1.3 kilograms and includes a utility loop for carrying. It is aimed at the growing number of UK home workers who want a compact speaker that can follow them around the house.
The Play is rated IP67, meaning it can withstand rain and even brief submersion — a practical feature for British weather. It also doubles as a power bank, allowing users to charge their phone in a pinch. For sound, the speaker uses dual-angled tweeters, a mid-woofer and three digital amplifiers, plus two passive radiators to reinforce bass outdoors. The result is balanced and detailed at moderate volumes, though the soundstage remains narrow and clarity drops at higher volumes.
Sonos has integrated its automatic Trueplay feature, which uses the speaker's microphones to calibrate sound to the room without the need to wave a phone around — a significant improvement for portable use. Voice assistants Sonos Assistant and Alexa are built in, and physical buttons allow control with greasy hands, though the buttons are flush and can be hard to locate at first. The speaker can be paired with a second unit for stereo sound by holding the play/pause button on both devices simultaneously.
However, the Sonos Play inherits some of the company's well-publicised app issues. During testing, syncing with a MacBook was occasionally laggy, and playing or pausing YouTube audio produced noticeable delays. Switching audio between speakers via the Sonos app required multiple steps, including an unnecessary 'Apply' button, though AirPlay handled the same task with a single tap. A bug in Pocket Casts caused podcasts to restart from the beginning instead of resuming.
For UK businesses and consumers, the Play represents a flexible option for hybrid working environments, but the app frustrations may deter those seeking a seamless experience. The UK's Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has not directly regulated smart speaker privacy, but Sonos includes microphones for voice assistants and Trueplay, raising data handling considerations. The EU's AI Act may also influence future updates if Sonos uses AI for sound tuning. For those who do not need portability, the cheaper Era 100 (£179) or Era 100 SL (£155) offer more volume for less money.