According to rumors, Sonos' ecosystem of wireless speakers and soundbars is about to get an upgrade, including a new operating system for home theaters.
It has been reported by Protocol, citing "multiple sources" who spoke on condition of anonymity, that Sonos is hiring people to work on its Home Theater OS project, with job descriptions that suggest the company plans to run apps directly on televisions.
For the past few years, Sonos appears to have considered various approaches to breaking into TV streaming. The company has created the comprehensive S2 app, which allows users to control their Sonos speakers, create different groupings, and stream music. However, it has never made this app available on Tv's.
Sonos posted a job ad for a UX Lead - Next Generation Home Experience, however, so that might be about to change. To deliver a next-generation content delivery experience, the successful candidate will work across multiple delivery surfaces (mobile, television, tablet, and hardware remote). The candidate must have eight to twelve years of experience designing UX for mobile and/or TV.
Sonos has yet to comment on whether it is working on a home theater operating system, but we know that the company is expanding. One of the job listings was shared by Sonos' chief innovation officer, Nick Millington, who shared that he is working on "a new home theater project," and that the role would suit people with experience in streaming media such as "audio, video, games, sports, music, news, movies, TV, news, podcasts."
Essentially, the Sonos Home Theater OS could extend to other kinds of content besides music streaming, perhaps acting as a one-stop-shop for TV, radio, podcasts, gaming, and music, tying in your various subscriptions in one place.