Sonos Ace headphones, after a period of partial compatibility, now work seamlessly with all of Sonos’s soundbars. This means the highly sought-after TV audio swap feature is now available across the entire soundbar range. This feature allows you to privately enjoy audio through the Sonos Ace headphones, diverting sound away from the soundbar itself – perfect for avoiding disturbances. While Google and Apple have been offering similar features with their respective earbuds and streaming devices, Sonos, not being an operating system in the same sense, needed to implement the audio handoff further down the line. Consequently, the Ace headphones can now intercept audio from the Sonos Ray, Sonos Beam, and, as previously supported, the Sonos Arc.
Importantly, Sonos has confirmed that the TV audio swap feature is now operational on both Android and iOS devices. To take full advantage of this feature, ensure your Sonos app is updated and your Sonos system is running the latest firmware. Beyond the TV audio swap improvements, the most recent Sonos app update boasts a multitude of enhancements, including:
– A tool for downgrading an S2 system to S1
– Improved smoothness and reduced latency for group volume controls
– Added mute buttons for individual speakers within a group
– Group volume controls accessible from the now-playing screen
– The ability to clear the queue
– Enhanced performance for large queues
– Increased reliability for speech enhancement and night mode settings
This comprehensive update marks a significant step forward for Sonos, especially after a turbulent summer following the platform’s major revamp just before the Sonos Ace launch. The revamp led to the disappearance of some core features, the malfunction of others, and widespread confusion amongst customers. The repercussions of this overhaul were so severe that CEO Patrick Spence issued an apology, albeit several months after the issues became apparent. This latest app update arrives just a day before Sonos is scheduled to announce its second-quarter 2024 earnings.
