SONOS + ECHO DOT

This integration may never happen. Or if it does, may be short lived.

With Apple releasing a "high end" home speaker, Amazon is likely to release an improved Echo and they will want to have full control over their whole home-interaction experience as it matures. That's the future. We're less than five years away from asking our Echo to order groceries which will be delivered from Whole Foods via Amazon's delivery service.

I wouldn't be surprised if they pull out of this project from Sonos. This will leave Sonos in a bad position as consumers will eventually expect their home speakers to be seamlessly integrated with their voice-activated home. Sonos was successful because they applied innovative technology with great sounding speakers. They will no longer be the "innovator" because they won't be able to compete with Apple or Amazon.

Maybe we'll get lucky and Amazon will purchase Sonos, but I doubt it.

I have a fairly large investment in Sonos equipment, so I hope I'm wrong here. Best scenario is they do this integration and we get another few years out of Sonos gear.

TL;DR Use your line input and get over it. Save your money for whatever winning technology emerges.

You don't think Sonos would have entered a binding Joint Venture agreement then?

I think you're overestimating the sound quality and multi-room capabilities that Apple/Amazon/Google are offering. They could certainly cut into Sonos business, but they can't, or are a long way from replacing all that Sonos does.

As far as not being willing to partner with Sonos, they are more likely to alienate customers then bring them in if they do that. Customers have invested $1000s in their sound system, and I seriously doubt Amazon is going to try and push customers to dump their gear and spend another $1000s to buy Amazon gear. Besides that, I would bet that there are contractual obligations in place that prevent Sonos or Amazon from breaking the deal and screwing each other over.

Most importantly, if what you're saying is true, it's not just Sonos, but just about every home audio company out there that is going to be dead in 5 years. If Sonos is screwed because Apple/Amazon/Google own voice assistance, and will make their own speakers without sharing VI tech (which Amazon is sharing), then everyone is screwed.