The $169 Sonos Roam portable speaker just leaked and UE should be worried - Android

Sonos is finally launching a portable Bluetooth speaker.

What you need to know

• New images and information about the Sonos Roam have just leaked days before its official launch.
• The Sonos Roam will come in two colors, weigh roughly one pound, and have an optional wireless charging dock.
• The new speaker will be announced on March 9th, with an official release set for April 20th.

The cat is out of the bag. The Verge has just received images and information on the upcoming Sonos Roam just days before it's set to be officially announced. The new speaker will be the company's first attempt at a truly portable Bluetooth speaker after the Sonos Move, which was one of the best smart speakers, but frankly too big and heavy to be truly portable.

The image shows a device small enough to be confused with similar speakers like the UE Blast. According to The Verge, it measures 6.5 x 2.5 x 2.5 inches and weighs roughly 1lbs. The speaker audio appears to be more directional, as opposed to the 360° spatial sound that's found in products like the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2. Like other Sonos speakers, controls are placed on the "top" of the device.

The Roam will have 10-hour battery life and charge via a USB-C cable, but the device will also be capable of wireless charging thanks to a $49 dock. This was expected thanks to leaked FCC documents that suggested wireless charging capabilities.

The Sonos Roam will be able to play music over Bluetooth and WiFi and also be "fully waterproof," which is par for the course for many of the best Bluetooth speakers. The $169 retail price is fairly middle-of-the-road for similar speakers and could be very worth it, given the Sonos branding.

The Sonos Roam's official announcement is set for March 9th, but the device will reportedly not hit the market until April 20th. Sonos is also expected to announce a pair of noise-canceling headphones at the same time, but little is known about this product.