Sonos speakers may get an offline Alexa alternative – and we’re excited
Sonos could be working on an offline assistant – and the potential is huge
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
Sonosappears to be working on an offline voice assistant for its ranges ofsmart speakers– sidestepping the need for internet connectivity entirely – and it could be just what users need.
As spotted byVoicebot.AI, Sonos seems to have been sending out user surveys to assess, on a 1-10 scale, whether they’re interested in a “potential new product offering” – one that offers offline voice controls.
Ascreenshotof an emailed survey by a Reddit user shows details of “Sonos Voice Control”, which is described as a “quick, easy and private control designed for Sonos by Sonos.”
The feature is described as “available on select Sonos voice capable speakers (S2 compatible)”. The Sonos S2 partner applaunched last year, bringing support forHi-Res audioand a new user interface for those controlling their wireless speakers with a mobile phone, and is widely available across Sonos' smart speaker range, meaning this offline voice control sounds like it could roll out to a lot of audio hardware overnight.
It would apparently be able to “skip songs, adjust volume, and check battery level” in response to a ‘Hey Sonos’ command, with “no audio sent to the cloud [or] listened to by anyone” – giving basic functionality for music listening without risks of anyprivacy violations, as is often feared by those withAlexa speakers.
Analysis: An offline voice assistant would be game-changing
What’s interesting is that Sonos Voice Control would work alongside theAmazonAlexa assistant: “Use Sonos Voice Control and Amazon Alexa on the same speaker. Just ask Sonos to play a song, then ask Alexa to check the weather.”
Given Alexa requires an internet connection, though, the Sonos assistant would still work when you’re offline – ideal for aBluetooth speakerthat’s designed to be taken out and about with you.
Get the best Black Friday deals direct to your inbox, plus news, reviews, and more.
Sign up to be the first to know about unmissable Black Friday deals on top tech, plus get all your favorite TechRadar content.
Music streaming services likeSpotifyallow you to download tracks and playlists for offline listening, too, and having a localised voice assistant that can navigate basic playback and volume controls for you would be a huge boon.
It is worth noting that the survey is clearly trying to gauge the level of interest in this assistant, which suggests that the feature might not roll out for sure. But given the advantages of an offline voice assistant – and the ease of use and privacy comforts that brings – we certainly hope that it does come to Sonos hardware relatively soon.
Henry is a freelance technology journalist, and former News & Features Editor for TechRadar, where he specialized in home entertainment gadgets such as TVs, projectors, soundbars, and smart speakers. Other bylines include Edge, T3, iMore, GamesRadar, NBC News, Healthline, and The Times.
The cheapest Sonos sales and deals for November 2024
Update your Sonos app on the iPhone and you might cure your battery drain problem
Arcane season 2 act 1 ending explained: who is [SPOILER], when is episode 4 coming out, and your biggest questions answered
