The End of “Pinewood”: Sonos Cancels Streaming Hardware
Sonos has unexpectedly cancelled its highly anticipated streaming video player, codenamed “Pinewood,” just months before its planned 2025 launch. The decision was revealed during an all-hands meeting led by interim CEO Tom Conrad. As a result, it marks a significant shift in the company’s hardware strategy. Moreover, this change leaves a void in its upcoming product lineup.
Advanced Development Halted: “Pinewood” Features Detailed
According to sources familiar with the matter, the “Pinewood” project was well into development, including extensive beta testing. The device was intended to be Sonos’ major hardware release for the year, promising a comprehensive streaming experience with deep universal search, content aggregation, and HDMI switching capabilities for gaming consoles and 4K Blu-ray players. Additionally, “Pinewood” was designed to facilitate new configurations for Sonos’ surround sound systems.
The abrupt cancellation comes as Sonos grapples with the aftermath of a challenging 2024, marked by software issues and a subsequent decline in its brand reputation. Conrad, who stepped in as interim CEO following Patrick Spence’s departure, has prioritised a strategic reassessment of the company’s roadmap. He informed employees that a foray into the video streaming market is “off the table for now.”
“We don’t comment on our roadmap, but as has been previously announced we have a long-standing relationship with The Trade Desk and that relationship continues,” Sonos spokesperson Erin Pategas told The Verge via email. The Trade Desk was intended to provide the operating system for the “Pinewood” device.
Sonos has decided to scrap the “Pinewood” project, which means the company will not have a major hardware launch in late 2025. This comes after the release of the Arc Ultra soundbar and Sub 4 late last year. Internally, however, some employees had raised concerns about the streaming device. They worried that, like the Sonos Ace headphones, it could struggle in a highly competitive market. After all, Sonos would be going up against well-established players such as Roku, Amazon, Apple, and Google.
Software Restoration Takes Priority: Team Reassigned
Instead, Sonos will focus on restoring its software performance and reputation. The “Pinewood” team will be reassigned to other projects, with a renewed emphasis on improving the core Sonos experience.
The cancelled project was reportedly a passion project of Nick Millington, Sonos’ chief innovation officer, who is currently leading the efforts to rectify the software issues. Former CEO Patrick Spence, who resigned earlier this year due to the app related issues, had initially greenlit the “Pinewood” project.
