New Sonos smart speaker comes with Alexa voice control

Editor’s note: This story was originally published in October 2017 and has been updated with the latest information.

Wireless speaker maker Sonos has finally stepped into the era of all things voice-controlled: In October, the company announced a new smart speaker that comes with built-in voice control.

The new Sonos One, available in white and black matte finishes, looks pretty much just like the existing Sonos Play: 1. But now it works with Amazon Alexa straight out of the box, with Google Assistant compatibility to follow in 2018. That means you can use voice to play, pause, skip, volume up and down on songs, in addition to checking weather, listening to news, and using the other skills those assistants have to offer. At launch, music services like Amazon Music, Pandora, iHeart Radio and more can be controlled through Alexa; Spotify rolled out in late November, according to the company.

Existing Sonos owners can also immediately get Alexa voice control after downloading a new software update—that is, if they already have an Alexa-enabled device like Echo or Echo Dot.

In addition to Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, Sonos also announced that its devices will begin supporting Apple Airplay 2 in 2018. This means you can play any sound from an iOS device—think podcasts, Youtube videos, and Netflix content—on Sonos speakers. The company plans to open up its software platform for developers to create new integrations as well.

And the Sonos developments aren’t limited to software: The company recently teamed up with Wrensilva to launch a new HiFi console that merges the digital and the analog. The Wrensilva Sonos Edition, priced at $4,999, integrates two Sonos Play:5 speakers into a midcentury-style console, handcrafted from American Walnut hardwood, white lacquered birch, and hot-rolled steel.

The Sonos One, priced at $199, is now available.

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Wrensilva