Sonos introduces a new operating system, soundbar, and headphones with ChatGPT connectivity
The veteran audio company is introducing its biggest change yet, launching Sonos 27, which expands its open platform with AI-based control and unique control from within AI agents, introduces new ways to stream sound throughout the home, and adds a new speaker and headphones to its product line.
Sonos presented today (Tuesday) the Sonos 27 program, a new version of its home audio operating system, alongside two new products: the Sonos Beam Ultra soundbar and the Sonos Ace Ultra headphones. According to the company's announcement, the new app navigation and portable surround speaker feature will begin rolling out on September 8, and the new products will be available in Israel through Bug starting September 29, 2026.
"Twenty years ago, we bet on an idea that the rest of the industry is only now reaching, that our home deserves an audio operating system built specifically for it," said Tom Conrad, CEO of Sonos. The Sonos 27 program takes this a step further, connecting acoustic engineering, adaptable software, intelligence, and design.
The main update in Sonos 27 is a wider opening for AI-based control. The company is introducing Sonos 27voice, a voice assistant for music selection and home atmosphere control, and Sonos 27mcp, which allows connecting external assistants and AI agents to the system, including OpenAI's ChatGPT.
"Thanks to this integration with Sonos, people can ask ChatGPT to play music anywhere in the house, from their phone or computer, without leaving the conversation they are having," said Atti Alti, product lead for ChatGPT Voice at OpenAI. Alongside this, Sonos also introduced Sonos Custom Agents, a future capability that will allow users to create their own agents, with their own model, personality, and voice.
"The smartest home is not managed by one assistant that does everything, but allows people to choose or create the agent suitable for each task," said Nick Millington, the company's Chief Innovation Officer. Another new capability is Sonos Fabric, through which the company's products recognize each other and adapt themselves for use in the home. This coming fall, it will activate two features: headphone linking, which will connect the Sonos Ace Ultra directly to the Sonos system as part of Early Access, and Sonos Positioning Technology, which uses high-frequency sounds to detect the speaker's location and change its role in the system.
The Sonos 27 app has also received a redesigned look, which the company says should make navigation easier. The company says the app was designed and tested together with the Sonos community.
Sonos Beam Ultra is a mid-sized soundbar with true Dolby Atmos in a 7.1.2 configuration. It includes nine dedicated drivers, including for the first time two upward-firing drivers, a center channel redesigned for clearer dialogue, four levels of AI Speech Enhancement, and Night Sound for nighttime listening. You can connect a Sub or rear surround speakers to it.
"In a great mix, the listener feels everything without noticing how it happens," said Chris Jenkins, Senior Vice President of UMG's digital studios. "This is exactly what the Beam Ultra delivers, sound that pulls you into the scene instead of reminding you that you are listening to a speaker."
Sonos Ace Ultra are Over-Ear headphones with a 40mm driver developed by Sonos, adaptive noise cancellation using ten microphones, and up to 35 hours of battery life. According to the company, these are the first headphones based on Headphone Engine 2, new hardware that allows them to be linked directly to the Sonos system. Both products were tuned with the help of Sonos Soundboard, a group of music and film professionals.
Pre-sales in Israel will begin on Wednesday, September 2, on the Bug website, and the official sale will begin on September 29, 2026. The price of the Sonos Beam Ultra will be 2,899 NIS (2,699 NIS in pre-sale), and the price of the Sonos Ace Ultra will be 1,699 NIS (1,599 NIS in pre-sale).
