Bose has announced a new product, the portable speaker. This is a $349 smart speaker that supports Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa.
The portable speaker is very similar to the Bose SoundLink revolve+ from a couple of years ago. For example, they both sport a cylindrical shape, 360-degree sound output, and a carrying handle. But a portable home speaker has an aluminum chassis, costs about 7,5 inches, is four inches wide, and weighs 2-3 kilograms. It is rated with IPX4 water resistance, meaning it can withstand a splash but not a full dunk.
In terms of connectivity, the guest services include Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and support for AirPlay 2 and Spotify connectivity. Because of all those connectivity options, it's much smarter and more useful than SoundLink's Revolve+; Bose has even said that it will be able to link to a multi-room sound system with Bose speakers - including (sometime later this year) older products such as micro, color, mini, and rotate.
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The speaker can be charged at home via USB-C and works with an additional $29 charger to be purchased separately. The speaker itself will be available starting September 19 for $349 US in black or silver. In the UK it will cost £329.95 and will be available from October 3rd.