Sonos is rolling out a new set of features for its speakers, and this time it's not just about launching new hardware. The company has been working on improving the Sonos app experience, and the Sonos 27 update has begun reaching users, bringing with it the ability to control speakers through AI tools like ChatGPT and Claude.
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The company announced the platform last week, but the first batch of features is now actually reaching users. The update is available for free on Sonos devices running S2, with some features varying depending on the device.
ChatGPT Can Now Control Sonos Speakers
The biggest new addition is Sonos 27 MCP, an integration available through an early access program, built on the Model Context Protocol.
Once the service is linked and granted the necessary permissions, an external AI assistant can control a Sonos system directly from its own interface. This means a user could, for example, ask ChatGPT to play music in the kitchen or adjust the volume, without leaving the conversation they're having.
Sonos lists ChatGPT and Claude as supported services, with the initial rollout focused on English-speaking users in the United States.
Sonos is also developing its own AI-powered assistant dedicated to music, called Sonos 27 Voice. It will be able to understand requests based on mood or vague song descriptions.
It's set to launch through an early access program later this fall, starting in the U.S. in English, with the company planning to roll out customizable assistants with different personalities and voices sometime in 2027.
Outdoor Speakers Turn Into a Surround Sound System
The update also includes a new feature for portable speakers, allowing a matched pair of Move 2 or Sonos Play speakers to be used as rear speakers within a surround sound system.
The speakers can detect their location when placed near a compatible soundbar, then automatically switch to functioning as rear speakers. Compatible devices include the Arc Ultra, Arc, Beam Ultra, and second-generation Beam.
Once done watching a movie, users can simply pick up the speakers, move them elsewhere, and use them as normal.
Sonos is also preparing to add headphone connectivity, allowing the new Ace Ultra headphones to transfer audio between themselves and compatible Sonos speakers over Wi-Fi.
This feature is set to roll out through early access on September 29, alongside the launch of the new headphones.
The original generation of Ace headphones, however, won't get this feature, so current owners shouldn't assume a software update alone will give them full integration with the Sonos system.
The Sonos App Faces a New Test
For many Sonos users, the app improvements may matter more than the addition of a new AI-powered assistant.
The app's 2024 redesign removed a number of features users had grown accustomed to and caused significant reliability issues, damaging the company's reputation among some of its most loyal customers.
The Sonos 27 update expands the improved navigation system the company began rolling out in July, adding main tabs for Home, System, and Search, along with better room organization and a virtual volume control tool that can be operated with a two-finger gesture.
The September update also adds Siri support and a Shortcuts feature, an updated iPad design, and more tools for controlling the queue and music services.
New presets and additional system status display tools are expected to arrive later this fall.
The update is rolling out in stages, meaning it may not appear immediately on all devices. Sonos confirmed that the new navigation interface is now moving beyond its earlier limited testing phase to reach a wider range of users.
Following the issues that accompanied the app's last major redesign, the biggest test for Sonos will be whether these improvements can make its system more stable and reliable in everyday use.
