Sonos One Gen 2 quietly released, bringing a host of internal changes but no new features
Older version of flagship speaker will cost slightly less until it is sold out
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Your support makes all the difference.Sonos has quietly updated its flagship speaker, the One, though it looks exactly the same.
The Sonos One Gen 2 has been spotted by some people who have bought the new version without knowing it, but had not been announced by Sonos. Now it has become clear that it is a different version – though not one that actually changes very much.
In practice, the new speaker is the same as the old one, Sonos says. But it does include a whole host of updates, even if those don't enable any new features.
All of the additions are on the inside, and there is no change to the external design. The second generation is marked on the box and on the speaker itself, but they otherwise look identical.
The internal updates include the addition Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), an update processor, and more memory on the inside. While they don't allow for new features at the moment, it's possible that Sonos could make use of the extra processing power or memory to enable future updates.
The addition of BLE does not mean that the speaker is able to play music through Bluetooth: as with every other Sonos speaker, music comes over the internet. It is simply used in the setup process, like with other products such as its Beam soundbar.
The older Sonos will still be available until it sells out, and at a reduced price of £179. The new one will go to the regular price of £199.
Sonos released the One at the end of 2017. It brought voice control to Sonos's line-up for the first time.
The company is rumoured to be planning new speakers, with a filing in January showing plans for a new voice-controlled speaker. It is not clear if those documents related to the updated version of the One.
The company's latest release was the Amp – which can bring Sonos's internet control to old speakers – as well as its new "architectural audio" offerings, which include speakers that can hide in the wall or the ceiling.
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