Sonos Cancels Yet Another Product: The Pinewood Streaming Box Bites the Dust

In a move that surprises absolutely no one who’s been following Sonos’ rollercoaster of a journey lately, the company has reportedly axed its much-hyped streaming box, codenamed "Pinewood." Once touted as a bold Apple TV 4K competitor, this cancellation adds another chapter to Sonos’ ongoing saga of turmoil and missteps. If you’ve been keeping score, this is just the latest in a string of setbacks for a brand that once ruled the multi-room audio game. Let’s unpack this mess and rewind a bit to see how Sonos got here.

Pinewood: Dead Before It Could Shine

According to reports from 9to5Mac and The Verge, Sonos has pulled the plug on Pinewood, a streaming box that was supposed to take the fight to Apple, Roku, and Nvidia in the crowded streaming device market. This wasn’t just another me-too product—Pinewood promised to blend Sonos’ audio prowess with a premium video streaming experience. Think HDMI switching, lag-free wireless audio to Sonos soundbars, and a surround sound setup using existing Sonos speakers, all wrapped in a sleek black box with a price tag rumored to hover between $200 and $400. Ambitious? Sure. Too ambitious for a company already stretched thin? Apparently.

The cancellation isn’t entirely shocking. Sonos has been battling internal chaos and a bruised reputation for months, and Pinewood’s demise feels like a symptom of bigger problems. Sources cited by The Verge suggest the project was “deep into development,” but with the company reeling from other flops and a leadership shakeup, it’s clear Sonos couldn’t muster the focus—or the cash—to bring Pinewood to market. For a device that was pegged as a potential flagship for fiscal 2025, this is a gut punch to a brand desperate for a win.

How Did Sonos Get Here?

Sonos used to be the gold standard for wireless audio. Their speakers were slick, their multi-room system was seamless, and their app was the glue that held it all together. But oh, how the mighty have fallen. The cracks started showing in 2024 with the disastrous relaunch of their mobile app. What was supposed to be a sleek upgrade turned into a buggy nightmare, breaking core features and infuriating loyal customers. Audio sync issues, dropped connections, and a clunky interface left users fuming—and Sonos scrambling.

The fallout was brutal. Sales tanked, layoffs followed, and CEO Patrick Spence stepped down in January 2025 after eight years at the helm, replaced by interim CEO Tom Conrad. The app fiasco didn’t just dent Sonos’ bottom line; it shattered trust. Customers who’d dropped hundreds (or thousands) on Sonos gear felt betrayed, and the company’s pivot to new product categories started looking more like flailing than innovation.

Take the Sonos Ace headphones, launched in 2024 as their first stab at personal audio. They were solid—impressive even—but got drowned out by the app controversy. Sales flopped, and planned features like TrueCinema (a surround sound tweak for the Ace) were quietly shelved. Now, Pinewood joins the graveyard of Sonos’ abandoned dreams, alongside other backburnered projects the company couldn’t afford to juggle.

A Company in Freefall

Sonos’ current state is a textbook case of overreach meets bad timing. Pinewood could’ve been a game-changer—a premium streaming box that leveraged Sonos’ audio ecosystem to stand out in a sea of $50 Fire Sticks and $129 Apple TVs. But at a rumored $400 ceiling, it was already a tough sell. Pair that with a company fighting software fires and a leadership transition, and you’ve got a recipe for cancellation.

The Verge notes that some Sonos insiders were skeptical of Pinewood from the jump, calling it a “niche device in a crowded, competitive space.” They weren’t wrong. The streaming market is brutal—Apple’s got the ecosystem lock, Roku’s got the budget crowd, and Nvidia’s Shield caters to power users. Sonos needed a flawless execution to justify Pinewood’s price and purpose, and flawless is the last word you’d use to describe Sonos right now.

What’s Next for Sonos?

With Pinewood scrapped and no other major hardware on the horizon for 2025, Sonos is at a crossroads. The interim CEO has a Herculean task: fix the app (it’s better, but still not great), rebuild customer trust, and figure out a product strategy that doesn’t scream “we’re trying too hard.” The Arc Ultra soundbar, launched late last year, was a rare bright spot—pricey but excellent. Maybe Sonos should double down on what it knows best: killer audio gear—rather than chasing every shiny new category.

For now, though, Sonos feels like a company adrift. Pinewood’s cancellation isn’t just a lost product; it’s a symbol of a brand that’s lost its way. Fans can only hope this is rock bottom—and that the next chapter isn’t more of the same. Until then, keep your Sonos speakers plugged in, cross your fingers for a stable app update, and maybe don’t hold your breath for that next big thing. It might not make it past the drawing board.