Sonos Inc. on Wednesday unveiled a new pair of high-end headphones, an upgraded soundbar, a new operating system built around audio and an updated app packed with generative AI features.

Santa Barbara, California-based, maker of high-end speakers and audio equipment, is making a major push into artificial intelligence, opening its audio platform to third-party AI assistants in what marks its biggest step yet toward transforming itself from a traditional audio hardware maker into a creating a tech platform on the lines of Apple Inc and Alphabet Inc.

The announcements, unveiled during an event in New York, represent the biggest updates to Sonos’ core products and software since the company faced widespread criticism over software updates that disrupted its app in 2024 and frustrated users. The new changes are being executed under the new CEO Tom Conrad, who is reimaging the smart speaker company.

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Perhaps the biggest way Sonos is differentiating itself from other audio companies is through the development of a new audio operating system. The company is calling it Sonos 27, and it will also include an all-new app.

A major push into AI

The big feature, of course, is Sonos 27 Voice, the company’s generative AI integration, which is currently being rolled out as part of an early-access programme. The feature lets users talk to their speakers in much the same way they would interact with Amazon Inc.’s Alexa or a Google Home speaker, including requesting music based on their mood. It also supports the Model Context Protocol (MCP), allowing users to connect the system to an AI service of their choice. For example, users can ask ChatGPT to play music on their Sonos speakers.

The company is also highlighting Sonos Custom Agents, which let users customise AI agents to automate tasks across their speakers, such as triggering a speaker in a specific room at a set time. Users can also personalise the agents’ voices, giving speakers different personalities or accents.

Sonos is best known for its ability to group speakers together, allowing users to place speakers in different rooms and play music throughout their home. Previously, the company did not have a specific marketing name for this feature, but it is now calling it Sonos Fabric: the tech that serves as the underlying architecture for grouping, pairing Sonos products across the company’s ecosystem.

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Sonos 27 includes a voice assistant for discovering music, while its MCP integration lets users connect external AI models to their Sonos setup.

Sonos is adding two new features that uses its Fabric technology. First one is Portable Surround, which lets users move speakers between rooms and automatically sync them for surround sound, and the second one is Headphone Linking, which allows audio to seamlessly switch between Sonos speakers and headphones.

Its brand new app itself is visually changing and introduces a navigation, lock-screen controls, room organisation and virtual volume knobs, adding more control and a more tactile feel. The company also plans to introduce Presets and System Health views later in the year as part of ongoing feature updates.

Sonos Ace Ultra and Beam Ultra

Sonos is also launching two brand-new products alongside its latest software overhaul. The company launched the Ace Ultra, its second pair of over-ear headphones, and the Beam Ultra, a new soundbar.

The Ace Ultra is an update to Sonos’ first pair of premium over-ear headphones, the Ace, which were praised for their audio quality and design but launched as the company was grappling with app-related issues.

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The new headphones not only integrate with Sonos’ speaker ecosystem but also offer up to 35 hours of battery life and can connect to devices via USB-C and 3.5mm. They can also connect to other Sonos speakers over Wi-Fi and support Sonos Fabric, allowing them to integrate with the wider Sonos system and seamlessly switch playback between Sonos speakers and the headphones.

Ace Ultra has a new Sonos-designed 40mm driver and adaptive active noise cancellation powered by 10 microphones.

The Beam Ultra soundbar, on the other hand, is an upgrade to the company’s existing Sonos Beam, featuring nine drivers (four more than previous Beam models) It also includes upward-firing drivers that bounce sound off the ceiling for a more immersive audio experience. The soundbar also comes with built-in AI features, including AI Speech Enhancement, which aims to make dialogue more discernible during loud scenes. It can connect via Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and wired HDMI eARC.

The Ace Ultra and Beam Ultra are priced at $449 and $699, respectively, and will hit retail shelves in the US. on September 29. Sonos said both devices will also launch in India “at a later date.”

Sonos is also bringing an upgraded Play, a portable, waterproof speaker with 24-hour battery life, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi support, a line-in jack and physical button controls. The speaker was launched earlier this year and will be available in India on September 8.