After hearing about a Sonos Move 2 portable speaker back in February, we now have more details on what to possibly expect.
Sonos is set to launch sales of its new Era 300 and Era 100 speakers, but now according to unnamed sources cited by The Verge, the audio giant is also working on the second-gen Move portable speaker, set for the second half of 2023.
The upcoming Move (Gen 2), with model number S44, will retain a design similar to its predecessor, ensuring it remains among the market’s larger portable Bluetooth speakers. Despite its substantial weight, the first-gen Move received positive customer reviews and we can also agree it’s an excellent speaker for both indoors and out. The speaker is set to reach its four-year anniversary this September, so it seems ripe for a refresh.
The new Move will offer seamless Bluetooth and Wi-Fi playback, eliminating the need for manual switching via a physical button on the back, as required by the original Move. The Roam and Era series have already adopted this improved Bluetooth solution.
Sonos plans to upgrade the Move’s internal processing power and memory to align it with the Era speakers, ensuring long-term software support and feature updates. The second-gen Move will also support line-in playback, likely through a USB-C line-in adapter. The USB-C port is expected to double as a charging port, with the current Move’s wireless charging capability via a proprietary base likely to continue.
The Move (Gen 2) will only be compatible with Sonos’ S2 platform, unlike the current Move, which works with both S2 and the older S1 software. It’s clear all current and future products will only work with the Sonos S2 platform. The company is expected to offer a battery replacement kit for the new model, reflecting its growing focus on repairability and sustainability.
We don’t know much about audio driver changes in the Sonos Move (Gen 2) just yet, but it may take some similar upgrades and technology seen in the Era 100 and Era 300 line. The Verge points out that these plans from Sonos could always change, given how the audio company has cautioned its spending could pivot depending on any shifts in the current economic outlook.
