Sonos to Announces First Headphones on May 21

Sonos revealed that it will announce its eagerly anticipated entry into the premium headphone market. The new headphones, which I can confirm are code-named Duke, will reportedly be branded as Sonos Ace. (That one I can’t confirm.)

Officially, Sonos is saying only that its “most requested product” will be announced on Tuesday, May 21, 2024 at 6 am PT/9 am ET. But the Sonos headphones leaked recently, with WinFuture showing off several images of the over-the-ear wireless headphones, which will provide active noise cancelation (ANC), integrated with Sonos home theater equipment, and utilize a USB-C connection with a 3.5 mm port adapter for wired use.

We’ve been expecting these headphones since 2023, when the firm announced it was expanding its product and services lineup dramatically. Sonos originally planned a March 2024 launch, but had to delay that to mid-year because of a software “snag” tied to how the headphones will connect to Wi-Fi networks.

Speaking of which, because the Sonos headphones need to work out in the world and away from the Wi-Fi network that most Sonos products rely on, the firm also had to update its infrastructure to accommodate this new product type. In doing so, it replaced its terrible Sonos S2 app with an even more terrible new Sonos app that shipped before it was complete, angering fans with an incredible list of missing features, so it could be ready for the headphone launch. I suspect this experience has turned off many customers who might have otherwise purchased Sonos Ace sight-unseen.