Wiim , the wireless audio company that has been make braggart inroads into a marketplace once dominated bySonos , quietly launched a edition of its Wiim Home app forApple TVowners earlier this month . Though not groundbreaking by any means , it ’s yet another instance of how this wireless sound recording upstart is move at an unbelievable swiftness when compare to its main challenger .
Sonos and Wiim have a similar approach when it hail to the mobile apps for Io and Android that are used to keep in line their respective product . Sonos — despite itshorrendously bungle redesignthat preserve to chevvy owners with issues — has a more advanced Seth of features , but one thing it has never done is grow a version of its app for either tvOS orAndroid video .
What ’s even more striking is that none ofSonos ’ soundbarsthat connect to a television set viaHDMI ARC , leverage that connexion to permit you see a now roleplay screen when you use the soundbar for streaming music or else of TV capacity . When the party announced its updated flagship , theSonos Arc Ultra , the press imagery includedwhat look like a now work screen , but the fellowship say it was not intend to meditate a feature of the Arc Ultra either at launch , or as a project update .
Simon Cohen / Digital Trends
Until March 2025 , it was fully expected that Sonos would launch its ownstreaming video deviceto compete with the Apple tv set . Codenamed Pinewood , the twist was reportedly going to sport multiple HDMI connections and a retardation - devoid wireless connection to Sonos speakers and soundbars . The gadget would , it could be assumed , have a full TV interface for hold in Sonos devices . And yet , on March 12 , Sonos management inform employee that the producthad been remove from the troupe ’s roadmap , with no word of when or if it might take back .
The Wiim Home for tvOS call for a simpler approach — at least for now . More than just a elephantine variation of the song info displayed on the front of itsWiim Ultranetwork music streamer , the app is standardized to native tvOS cyclosis services , likeApple MusicorTidal . It ’s a mini thespian , give you playback , volume , repeat / shambling , and call off control for the presently playing song , as well as a way to change over between Wiim devices on your connection .
you’re able to find fault between two different strain information screen treatments — a colour block or a blurred background based on the record album cover display .
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John Darkoperformed some in - profundity testingwith the tvOS app and discovered it would display song information on Wiim twist , even if he used music sources that did n’t develop from within the Wiim mobile app ( like usingAirPlay 2or Tidal Connect ) . Some bugs were noted : the queue list did n’t live right and the Apple remote control ’s own play / break and frontwards / back button could n’t be used for direct control ( you need to use the cholecalciferol - pad to pick out the relevant on - screen controls ) .
There ’s also no fashion to search for music to bring the way you may in the mobile app , which almost makes the tvOS app the Apple TV equivalent of the top controls on anAudio Pro Wiim Edition speaker system .
Wiim says it ’s gain feedback from users on the new app — and has alreadyconfirmed an Android TV version is coming — so I would n’t be too interested about these minor egress . Plus , the current feature set may yet acquire .
Simon Cohen / Digital Trends
Should the Wiim Home for tvOS app attempt to emulate every lineament from the company ’s fluid apps ? I do n’t think that ’s necessary or demand . For most folk , only being able to habituate the freehanded screen in the planetary house to show what ’s playing , is already more than enough reason to download and put in the free app . And as for Sonos ? Let ’s hope it ’s taking notes . Lots of notes .
Simon Cohen / Digital Trends
Simon Cohen / Digital Trends
