Sonos wanted to try its hand at video streaming; for years, rumors had been swirling about the development of a box capable of broadcasting the content of streaming services to the television. This project, core name "Pinewood", was supposed to compete with the most high-end boxes on the market - there was talk of a bill of $400, more than twice the price of an Apple TV...
Sonos returns to basics
After the annus horribilis that was 2024, marked by the industrial accident of the With the release of the mobile app, Sonos is trying to win back its lost customers. The company has downsized its workforce, fired those primarily responsible for the disaster (including former CEO Patrick Spence), and the new management led by Tom Conrad has decided to abandon the streaming box project. The announcement was made during a meeting with all teams, according to The Verge.
The device's designers will be reassigned to other projects, and especially to improving the app, which has been the priority project in recent months. The "Pinewood" box was supposed to be Sonos's big hardware launch of the second half of the year, and represent a new foray into a sector where Sonos is absent. But was it wise to take the plunge, when the Ace headphones—another launch in a new segment—wouldn't meet with the expected success?
The streaming box, however, seemed almost finished. It was supposed to run on the Ventura OS operating system developed by... an advertising agency. One of its features was an HDMI switch function that allowed game consoles, Blu-ray players, and other devices to be connected, allowing their audio and video signals to be transmitted seamlessly.
Source: The Verge
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