Sonos launches new voice assistant in early access beta

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 3 Nov, 22:32 · Archive

Sonos is opening early access to its new 27voice assistant on 12 November for US users on the waitlist.

Sonos is launching early access to its new 27voice AI assistant for US users, with a sign-up period beginning 6 November and access rolling out from 12 November. The company is introducing the assistant as part of a broader app update that also includes new Presets—shortcuts that can play music at a specific volume in particular rooms and appear on the homescreen for quick access.

The 27voice assistant can control playback, group and ungroup speakers, set timers and interact with supported smart home accessories. Sonos says it understands natural language requests and can answer general knowledge questions. The company gave examples of queries like 'play that Bowie album about an adventure in space' or 'who was the singer at the superbowl? Play their latest album on Hallway'.

Other features in the app update include the ability to swipe on the 'Now Playing' screen to skip tracks, rearrange favourites, and a new System Health feature for iOS users to identify problems with their setup. The rollout is part of Sonos' effort to recover from a disastrous app redesign in 2024, with CEO Tom Conrad having promised to reverse course. The company originally introduced the Sonos 27 software in September with support for third-party AI assistants and custom agents.

How it is being reported

• Sonos adds new Presets and prepares for the 27voice AI betaSonos is rolling out a big app update that includes new Presets and early access to its AI voice assistant. You can create a preset to play music at a specific volume in a certain room, which will appear directly on the homescreen so you can quickly start playback. If you're in the US, you […]The Verge · 3 Nov, 22:20
• Sonos' new voice assistant is launching in early access on November 6The company is hoping to collect feedback on Sonos 27voice to avoid a repeat of its previous app redesign debacle.Engadget · 3 Nov, 20:48

In this story: Sonos · Tom Conrad · United States

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