Will Airplay kill off Sonos and other similar systems - Canadian TV, Computing and Home Theatre Forums

hugh · 2010-09-03, 02:28 PM

Interesting development with iTunes this week.

It seems that AirTunes (the ability to use Apple TV and Airport Express as speakers) is now Airplay.

In addition, Airplay will be licencsed technology that can be embedded into devices so you can buy a clock radio with Airplay and have it act as an iTunes speaker.

This really has to hurt a company like Sonos

QuickSilver · 2010-09-03, 02:35 PM

Isn't the selling feature of Sonos and the like to have the ability to play multiple types of media on multiple sonos appliances? Internet Radio in the living room....itunes play-list in the basement, another itunes library on the patio?

So will Airplay allow my ipod touch to stream to say an airplay enabled speaker system on the patio while my iPhone then streams through airplay to my Apple tv in the living room?

I didn't pay close attention to the keynote on Wednesday.

hugh · 2010-09-03, 02:53 PM

Yes. The multiple streams to multiple devices is the jewel in the Sonos crown, however, now that Apple has decided to license Airplay to other devices, I suspect that functionality may come in coming iTunes updates.

The other major benefit of Sonos is that you can use a NAS for music storage and not have to have your PC on to play back music

QuickSilver · 2010-09-03, 03:02 PM

Yes i installed a Sonos a few weeks ago at a rich friends place. It was pretty easy to hook up to his iMac and get going after a reboot. The longest part was teaching them how to use it. The fights over the touch to control it and then the wife going in to the computer room and switching songs on him got annoying quickly.

Didn't know that about the NAS aspect. The only downfall in the Sonos system is the price (for us common folk). I agree that this will hurt the company.

NeilN · 2010-09-03, 04:42 PM

If Airplay works with Airfoil then that's a real winner. Grooveshark, Spotify, etc, streamed to any Airplay-embedded device.

Coop · 2010-09-03, 08:50 PM

It would be a real winner if it supported FLAC and other file types, but I'm not sure Steve will do that.

Tikker · 2010-09-03, 09:43 PM

there's only about 12 of you that care about FLAC tho

apn · 2010-09-04, 08:32 AM

Make that 13, but I'm not a ****** of either of these companies' products, either.

2010-09-03, 02:28 PM	#1
hugh Member #1 Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Toronto Posts: 47,492	Will Airplay kill off Sonos and other similar systems Interesting development with iTunes this week. It seems that AirTunes (the ability to use Apple TV and Airport Express as speakers) is now Airplay. In addition, Airplay will be licencsed technology that can be embedded into devices so you can buy a clock radio with Airplay and have it act as an iTunes speaker. This really has to hurt a company like Sonos __________________ As of January 2012, I am no longer the owner of the Digital Home website. If you have questions about the operation of the site, please contact VSAdmin. For personal inquiries contact me at the Hugh Thompson website.

2010-09-03, 02:53 PM	#3
hugh Member #1 Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Toronto Posts: 47,492	Yes. The multiple streams to multiple devices is the jewel in the Sonos crown, however, now that Apple has decided to license Airplay to other devices, I suspect that functionality may come in coming iTunes updates. The other major benefit of Sonos is that you can use a NAS for music storage and not have to have your PC on to play back music __________________ As of January 2012, I am no longer the owner of the Digital Home website. If you have questions about the operation of the site, please contact VSAdmin. For personal inquiries contact me at the Hugh Thompson website.

2010-09-03, 08:50 PM	#6
Coop Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Calgary, Bell Posts: 828	It would be a real winner if it supported FLAC and other file types, but I'm not sure Steve will do that. __________________ Pioneer PDP-6020FD, Denon 3808CI, OPPO BDP-83, HB HTPC, HP MSS, Mirage FRx 7, S10 Sub

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2010-09-03, 02:35 PM	#2
QuickSilver Moderator Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Nova Scotia Posts: 3,133	Isn't the selling feature of Sonos and the like to have the ability to play multiple types of media on multiple sonos appliances? Internet Radio in the living room....itunes play-list in the basement, another itunes library on the patio? So will Airplay allow my ipod touch to stream to say an airplay enabled speaker system on the patio while my iPhone then streams through airplay to my Apple tv in the living room? I didn't pay close attention to the keynote on Wednesday.

2010-09-03, 03:02 PM	#4
QuickSilver Moderator Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Nova Scotia Posts: 3,133	Yes i installed a Sonos a few weeks ago at a rich friends place. It was pretty easy to hook up to his iMac and get going after a reboot. The longest part was teaching them how to use it. The fights over the touch to control it and then the wife going in to the computer room and switching songs on him got annoying quickly. Didn't know that about the NAS aspect. The only downfall in the Sonos system is the price (for us common folk). I agree that this will hurt the company.

2010-09-03, 04:42 PM	#5
NeilN Veteran Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: North York Posts: 1,616	If Airplay works with Airfoil then that's a real winner. Grooveshark, Spotify, etc, streamed to any Airplay-embedded device.

2010-09-03, 09:43 PM	#7
Tikker Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: SaskTel Posts: 895	there's only about 12 of you that care about FLAC tho

2010-09-04, 08:32 AM	#8
apn Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 569	Make that 13, but I'm not a ****** of either of these companies' products, either.