Bose has announced a new product, the Portable Home Speaker. It's a $349 smart speaker that supports Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa.
The Portable Home Speaker looks very similar to the Bose SoundLink Revolve+ from a couple years ago. For instance, they both sport a cylindrical shape, 360-degree sound output, and a carrying handle. But the Portable Home Speaker has an aluminium enclosure, stands about 7.5 inches tall, is four inches wide, and weighs 2.3 pounds. It's rated with IPX4 water resistance, too, meaning it can withstand a splash but not a full dunk.
In terms of connectivity, it features Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, as well as support for AirPlay 2 and Spotify Connect. Because of all those connectivity options, it's much smarter and more useful than the SoundLink Revolve+; Bose even said it'll be able to link to a multiroom sound system with other Bose speakers – including (sometime later this year) older products like Micro, Color, Mini, and Revolve.
The Portable Home Speaker charges over USB-C and works with an optional $29 charging cradle you have to buy separately. The speaker itself will be available from 19 September in the US $349 in black or silver. In the UK, it will cost £329.95 and be available from 3 October.
