With the current discount promotion on the play:1 I was thinking about getting a couple for my bathrooms.
But then I saw the magic words "or while supplies last" at http://www.sonos.com/en-au/shop/play1.html. A discount + end of production is what Apple do when they want to clear stock ahead of a revised model. Are Sonos doing the same with the Play:1 ahead of a gen2? It is three years old now although still a great design.
So unless a refresh is definitely not pending I will hold off my purchase. Probably not what their marketing department intended...
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If they are, and I have no special knowledge either way, they certainly wouldn't announce it until it actually ships. People would stop buying the current version.
The real answer is "who knows?"
I imagine that the "while supplies lasts" means little, although they could be using it to restrict the number that they sell at a lower price (less profit).
The real answer is "who knows?"
I imagine that the "while supplies lasts" means little, although they could be using it to restrict the number that they sell at a lower price (less profit).
Sonos knew. More usefully so did the FCC. The Play:1 was revised, with an FCC filing in October showing a change to the wireless front-end circuitry.
https://fccid.io/document.php?id=3166056
They've switched from this module:
http://www.skyworksinc.com/Product/956/SE2595L
to this:
http://www.skyworksinc.com/Product/975/SE5502L
I haven't looked inside a Play:1 so I can't assess the reasoning, maybe they weren't using the MIMO capability of the former and decided to save 50c per unit. It may also be more efficient, the data sheet suggests slightly higher gain for slightly lower power consumption, although probably indistinguishable at Sonos's Tx rates. For consumers probably not a substantial change.
As far as discounting - Sonos normally discounts the Play:1 for the Holidays as it is the entry level component that many people first buy. So they discount to bring in new users.
Play:1 is the second youngest Sonos device on the market. It took close to six years to revamp the Play:5, and Sonos has yet to make a release without anything but 100% compatibility with older players dating back 10+ years. Except for the wireless differences needed for surround speakers, every Sonos player ever sold can functionally do everything the current models can do, so I think you are safe with today's Play:1.
Also, they have this type of sale every year at this time for the past few. There's no indication of a closeout.
Also, they have this type of sale every year at this time for the past few. There's no indication of a closeout.
My apologies for responding to the question regarding a "refresh", rather than the specificity of minor and insubstantial updates to the electronics.
Apology noted.
The words "while stocks last" are hardly magic. They have accompanied every Sonos discount offer since I started with Sonos five years ago.
You'll see them in EVERY sale situation. It's to placate people who aren't happy when the speakers sell out.
My advice. Buy lots of Play1s, you can only have too many when you have 3 per room.
They accompany MANY discounts, especially around the holidays. This prevents the retailer from having to issue a raincheck for an item's offer if the item sells out before the promotion period ends.
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