Sonos has reportedly dropped one of its worst ideas
Summary
Battered by a botched update to its flagship app last year that left its users howling for blood, Sonos badly needed a win for 2025—a new product that would finally turn the page. Pinewood, if the leaks are true, was to be yet another boxy black streaming box, complete with an integrated HDMI switch that would have allowed users to connect game consoles, Blu-ray players, and other video sources. The streaming box would also have worked with your existing Sonos speakers, allowing you to set up a wireless home theater without the need for a soundbar. Contributing to the concern was word that Sonos collaborated on Pinewood with The Trade Desk, a digital ad firm, leading to worries that the streaming player’s interface might serve advertisements or track its users’ viewing habits. It seemed an odd move for Sonos to plunge into a unfamiliar and saturated category with an overpriced device, rather than doubling down on one that it pioneered and soon dominated: mid-priced multi-room audio.