Sonos, a California-based audio company best known for its home speakers is partnering with Audi and making its debut in the Automotive Industry.
The sound system will be featured first in Audi’s Q4 E-Tron model. The latest electric vehicle from Audi enters the growing compact EV SUV segment. It won’t be fully unveiled until April. Sonos is a brand that is well accepted and admired in households, its sound stage and standalone speakers never ceases to be in trend. However, there is a spike in anticipation from its loyal customers, as they want their expectations to be met when it comes to, Sonos hitting the road with Audi.
This move is now placing the audio-company in direct competition with other high-end audio brands already getting their sound tech into vehicles, including Bose, Bang & Olufsen, and Bowers & Wilkins.
Rumors have been swirling around, concerning the potential relationship between the two companies after Audi released photos of its much-awaited new model Q4 Etron’s interior, which showed speakers revealing the Sonos logo. While the German car-maker, emphasized its new augmented reality heads-up display, others took note of the Sonos logo, despite no mention of the collaboration in the press release.
Sonos CEO Patrick Spence officially confirmed, the partnership during an investor event Tuesday afternoon, stating, “We love to be getting started with Audi, they are very innovative on this front and willing to experiment,” as mentioned in a report by Protocol. Sonos CEO, also expressed, that the company’s long-term vision is to be present in different categories of audio, and being in the automotive industry plays a huge role in this ambition.
As a provider of audio equipment, Sonos operates in multiple markets. Global Markets Insights estimates the value of the Home Audio Equipment market – Sonos’s main area of operation – to surpass $20 billion by 2024. In the constantly evolving global market, there is no concept of slow and steady. Here, the one who adapts to the constant changes in market trends is the winner. Therefore, in order to remain competitive in this market, stepping into the automotive sphere is the first step, after this, Sonos may find itself investing in improving sound-quality, in varied retail partnerships, and in music streaming service, voice assistant, and connected home integrator partnerships.
These kinds of partnerships are perceived as a way for home audio companies to diversify and expand their revenue sources, and for automakers to utilize brands known for premium audio in order to influence the buying decisions.
Audi, on the other hand, has aspirations in the luxury electric-vehicle marketplace, which is becoming dynamic as the days are passing by. The Q4 e-Tron is an all-new model for 2022 and it is certainly going to create better prospects for Audi’s growing electric-vehicle line-up. The Q4 e-Tron models will go up against other well-known compact electric SUVs such as the Tesla Model Y and the Volvo XC40 Recharge when they go on sale.
There is no confirmation on the exact dates of release, but hopefully, we are expecting to see the Q4 e-Tron at Audi dealerships by the end of 2021, with the classy Sport back variant following closely thereafter.
