There is so much news this week, I could probably send you four newsletters today, each with three things, and still have topics to cover. I’m going to focus on non-IFA announcements from this week, since I’ll be covering IFA more on my YouTube Channel.

Sonos Beam Ultra

Following the success of the Sonos Arc Ultra, last week Sonos launched a higher tier of their Beam soundbar. This seems to replace the old Sonos Arc, which Sonos still sold for around $700 at certain retailers. The Beam Gen 2 is still a great soundbar, but this is a nice step up, and it still sits below my favorite Sonos Arc Ultra.

Apple HomePod Surround

Before you run out and buy a Sonos Beam Ultra, it looks like Apple has code that points to using four HomePods in a surround system. As I mentioned years ago in my review of HomePod 2, a stereo pair of HomePods is amazing, even at the same cost as the Sonos Beam Ultra. But that’s as high as you can go. Right now, you can’t add a subwoofer or rear surrounds to the setup. One approach to surround sound is to have four speakers in the corners of the room like the Sony BRAVIA Quad. It appears Apple might be going for that concept, for an ultra HomePod setup paired to an Apple TV.

Philips Hue Sync is more affordable

Prior to IFA, Philips Hue had a private event where they launched a number of new products including less-expensive versions of their sync lights. After struggling with options from other brands, I finally installed Philips Hue’s 8K sync box earlier this year. It’s a wonderful, reliable system for me. Hopefully these less expensive versions keep that same performance for less money. One other sacrifice here is loosing HDMI 2.1 for the sync box, or needing to put a camera sensor on the top of your TV.

The Schedule

This week I’ve been at IFA in Berlin covering the announcements. I haven’t posted anything yet, but I have a lot of exciting videos coming. Last week, I published a video with tips for cleaning up your Apple Home.

Have a great rest of your Sunday,

Eric