Sonos intros Wireless Dock for iPhone/iPod, mulls AirPlay
updated 07:40 am EDT, Thu September 23, 2010
Sonos intros Wireless Dock to stream iPhone, iPod
Sonos this morning formally rolled out its first hardware to get audio directly from an Apple portable device. The Wireless Dock broadcasts sound to a Sonos system not just from iOS devices like the iPhone and iPod touch but also click wheel iPods. iOS devices can still work as Sonos Controllers with the company's app while docked.
The system is potentially better for those who want to share music from one of the handhelds but want to avoid any digital-to-analog conversion before it reaches the end speakers.
Wireless Docks should be shipping by the end of October for $119. Sonos tells Electronista that the sixth-generation iPod nano is still in testing but couldn't say how close the mini touchscreen player might be to official compatibility with the cradle.
Also, the company said today that it's considering AirPlay support. It would "absolutely" make sense if it helped Sonos buyers, the company said. How this would work with Sonos' proprietary networking isn't as clear, though it could theoretically use a ZoneBridge as an AirPlay destination.
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Notes:
The Dock plays the audio coming out of the iOS device.
iPod Classic to iTouch & iPhones.
When you dock a device and start play, the Sonos system can be set to auto-switch an assosiated zone (and optionally linked ones) to the iDevice's sound, at a set default volume! It works very fine!
And it's a perfect 'party' input. Friends can just dock their device and play - no need to link to the Sonos system etc..
That said, it IS possible to brows the iPod library on a docked device from a Sonos controller! But that's not the 'main' feature (in my view).
(Betatester)