Exclusive: the Sonos Move 2 is coming in September with stereo sound and 24-hour battery life

Sonos’ next portable speaker is near — even if it’s going to miss the peak of the outdoor summer season. I’ve learned that the Move 2 will be released around the end of September. Yes, it’s called the Move 2 and not Move (Gen 2). The device will have a similar design to the first-generation model. And it’s still a hefty sucker at over six pounds. But Sonos has made substantial improvements to audio performance, battery life, connectivity, the charging base station, and more. The image above, obtained from sources familiar with Sonos’ plans, is your first look at the Move 2.

The biggest upgrade for listeners is that the Move 2 will switch from mono output to true stereo playback thanks to the inclusion of dual angled tweeters; the original Move only had one. Like before, the speaker will also contain a woofer that handles bass frequencies. Automatic Trueplay will again optimize the Move 2’s sound whenever you change its position.

Battery life has seen significant gains compared to the original Sonos Move. The company’s new speaker will deliver continuous playback of up to 24 hours — far eclipsing the advertised 10 hours of the first-gen Move. The battery will again be replaceable, and the Move 2 has been designed to use less energy when idle, which should improve standby endurance. The Move 2 will have tweaked controls carried over from this year’s Era 100 and 300 — including the dedicated volume slider.

Just like the Sonos Roam, the Move 2 will be able to play Bluetooth audio across the rest of your Sonos system when you’re at home. The original wasn’t capable of this convenient trick because Bluetooth and Wi-Fi couldn’t be used simultaneously. The new speaker will support line-in audio over its USB-C port, and you’ll also be able to charge mobile devices using that same port, which could prove handy if you’re outdoors somewhere far, far away from a power socket. Many larger Bluetooth speakers can charge external devices, so I’m glad Sonos is catching up in this regard. Speaking of outdoor use, the Move 2 retains the original’s IP56 dust and water resistance and again uses shock-absorbent materials to protect against drops and accidental tumbles.

Sonos has paid attention to some smaller details as well: for example, the wireless charging base station now has a detachable power adapter compared to the hard-wired original. The speaker features Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0, and there’s a new switch on the back of the product for disabling the voice assistant microphones. (Amazon Alexa and Sonos Voice Control are supported, but Google Assistant is still MIA after being dropped from the Era speakers.)

The Move 2 will be offered in three colors: black, white, and a new olive option. It’s set to be priced at $449 in the United States — a $50 increase over the original’s current MSRP — and is due for release in late September.

Even if it’s a bit heavy, the original Move has gradually become perhaps my favorite product in Sonos’ entire lineup because of its sheer versatility and impressive sound quality. Now, Sonos is taking the obvious next step by evolving the device in several important ways — with stereo audio and all-day battery life at the top of the list.

The Verge has reached out to Sonos for a statement, but the company typically does not comment on rumor and speculation.