Jordan O'BrienAfter years of reverse-engineering Sonos to integrate with third-party home automation systems, the home-technology community is finally getting some love from the famously-closed manufacturer of wireless multiroom audio systems.
Details are scarce, but CE Pro heard from several sources at CEDIA Expo 2015 that Sonos is offering something like an open API to select home-control vendors for integration.
Sonos has enjoyed wild success with its wireless multiroom audio systems because the products are simple to use simple to support.
That’s because Sonos has stayed focused on its small suite of products and remained fiercely protective of the user experience; the more things connected to Sonos, the more likely the user experience falters.
So it’s understandable that the company has discouraged third-party integration in the past.
Even so, most of the major control systems offer Sonos integration today – Savant is the latest – but such integrations are not sanctioned by Sonos and could be rendered useless if Sonos changes its software.
But the wheels are in motion for allowing third-party systems to grab tunes, metadata and control functions from Sonos and incorporate them into scenes with lighting control, TV entertainment and more – all without fear that the ecosystem could collapse with no warning with the simplest of Sonos software updates.
CE Pro had heard that Crestron’s ‘sanctioned’ Sonos driver would be coming soon, but Crestron would not confirm this development during CEDIA Expo.
The same can be said for the other key manufacturers, although sources said other top-tier companies were involved.
Sonos senior PR manager Eric Nielsen tells CE Pro that Michael Papish, Sonos director, platform strategy said in a CEDIA presentation, “Sonos sees the future as an open platform.”
But, as Eric reminds us, “We don’t comment on what is or is not on our roadmap.”
He adds, “The show was great. Gratifying to see so many making Sonos accessories or incorporating Sonos. We’ve come a long way since our first pipe-and-drape booth 11 years ago.”
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