Streaming music and Sonos speakers go together like peanut butter and jelly, which is why Apple Music’s absence from Sonos’s list of supported streaming services was perplexing. But Apple Music is joining the roster of supported music services on Dec. 15, so Sonos speaker owners will have another option for streaming songs throughout their homes.
Sonos originally said that its speakers would support Apple Music “when [Apple is] ready to focus on the home listening experience,” then confirmed that would happen by the end of the year. Apple Music launched on iOS and iTunes in June, and arrived on Apple TV in November. Sonos just released a well-reviewed new speaker, the Play:5, in time for the holidays. Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of software and services, told BuzzFeed that the two companies waited nearly six months to integrate because both have high bars for success.
“It’s important to get the integration right the first time out,” he told the news organization.
Sonos users will have access to the Apple Music public beta in mid-December, with wide availability coming early next year. They will be able to control Apple Music using the Sonos app, which will allow access to features like For You, New, My Music, and Radio, though not to Connect.
Why this matters: Buyers of Sonos speakers spend hundreds of dollars creating WiFi-based home audio systems, and likely have no qualms about spending $9.99 a month on a streaming music service. Sonos cofounder and CEO John MacFarlane told BuzzFeed that more than 90 percent of music listened to through Sonos speakers comes from streaming services. Apple is tapping into a lucrative market, but a competitive one—Sonos also supports Spotify, Deezer, and Rhapsody.
If you already own Sonos speakers, you can sign up for the Apple Music beta here.