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Sonos’ $449 Wi-Fi headphones delayed by software bug

By Simon Cohen February 27, 2024

Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

Sonos‘ widely expected Wi-Fi-enabled headphones are facing a delayed release due to a software bug according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. Citing “people with knowledge of the matter,” Gurman said that the new product, which goes by the internal code name Duke, won’t be available until at least the first half of June, a month later than the company had reportedly planned.

At the core of the delay is a problem with the way the headphones connect to available Wi-Fi networks. The report claims that the bug was discovered during production validation testing, which is often scheduled two weeks in advance of the start of mass production.

All of Sonos’ existing products connect over Wi-Fi, with some, like the Sonos Move 2 and Sonos Era 300, also being capable of Bluetooth connections. Still, the Sonos app — a key differentiator for the company — has only ever supported Wi-Fi-connected Sonos products, underscoring the importance of having a set of wireless headphones that can connect using both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. Gurman says Sonos is readying a new version of that app known internally as “Passport,” which may finally add Bluetooth connectivity.

It’s expected that the headphones will cost $449 when they eventually launch. Sonos CEO Patrick Spence has only referred tangentially to the existence of the new product in his previous public comments, referring in 2023 to “our entry into a new multibillion-dollar category in the second half of the year that will complement our current offering, delight customers, and drive immediate revenue.” Spence’s next public appearance is a fireside chat alongside Sonos’ Chief Financial Officer Saori Casey on March 4 at the Morgan Stanley Technology, Media & Telecom Conference.

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