Apple could be making a wireless speaker system to boost your TV’s puny audio
Apple sets its sights on your home cinema
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Applehas already infiltrated our living rooms with the likes of streaming serviceApple TV Plusand its latest streaming box, theApple TV 4K– and a new patent suggests that the tech giant could be working on awireless speakersystem to complete your home cinema setup.
The patent is for a “wireless and wired speaker hub for a home theater system”, with a diagram that shows a 5.1 set up, comprising a two front-facing stereo speakers, a center channel speaker, two rear stereo speakers, and a subwoofer.
The patent was uncovered byPatently Appleon February 25, after 67 Apple patents were published by the US Patent and Trademark Office. Since then, speculation of competition between Apple and the likes ofSonosand Bowers & Wilkins has mounted – after all, these audio brands currently dominate the wireless home theatre market and a new Apple wireless speaker system could prove very problematic.
The Apple speakers described in the patent would be capable of communicating wirelessly, a little like theSonos Subconnects to theSonos Beam,Playbar, andPlaybase. Interestingly, there’s no sign of asoundbar, which is a convenient way to improve your TV’s audio without the need for a huge speaker setup – that convenience is something we’d expect Apple to be very interested in.
A home cinema competitor
While a patent is no guarantee of an impending product release, it would make sense for Apple to expand its home audio output to include solutions to boost your TV’s speakers.
After all, it already has a foothold in home cinema in terms of streaming, and its flagship smart speaker, theApple HomePod, is proof that the company is capable of creating truly impactful wireless audio.
Plus, withApple TV Plus showscoming withDolby Atmosimmersive sound, it makes sense that the brand would make the hardware to go with them; though, for true Dolby Atmos, some of the speakers would need upward-firing tweeters to blast sound up at your ceiling and down to you ears.
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If this Apple wireless speaker system does see the light of day, it could prove worrying for the likes of Sonos and Bowers & Wilkins, which are known for their popular home audio systems.
Still, Apple hardware is notorious for favoring the brand’s own ecosystem, particularly when it comes to music streaming, while these audio brands tend to be more agnostic, appealing to a larger number of people.
Olivia was previously TechRadar’s Senior Editor - Home Entertainment, covering everything from headphones to TVs. Based in London, she’s a popular music graduate who worked in the music industry before finding her calling in journalism. She’s previously been interviewed on BBC Radio 5 Live on the subject of multi-room audio, chaired panel discussions on diversity in music festival lineups, and her bylines include T3, Stereoboard, What to Watch, Top Ten Reviews, Creative Bloq, and Croco Magazine. Olivia now has a career in PR.
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