GoKawiilJada Jones and Maria Diaz/ZDNET
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Sonos has cemented itself as the king of multi-room audio, but more and more companies are joining in on the trend, some offering features that Sonos doesn't.
Also: Forget the soundbar: How I upgraded my TV audio with spare Bluetooth speakers
Bose recently joined in on the fun, unveiling its Lifestyle Ultra Speaker, which operates in a way that's familiar to Sonos's smart speakers. Both companies offer separately sold smart speakers that can stand on their own around the house, group together for left/right audio, or pair with a compatible soundbar to perform as rear speakers.
Yet, aside from a hard-to-miss $130 price difference, there are other differences to consider regarding ecosystem integration, smart features, and voice assistants. Let's break them down.
Specifications
Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker Sonos Era 100 Connectivity Apple AirPlay; Google Cast; Spotify Connect Apple AirPlay; Spotify Connect Wired options 3.5mm aux-in USB-C (adapter available for USB-C-to-3.5mm or USB-C -o-Ethernet Voice assistants Amazon Alexa; Alexa+ Amazon Alexa; Sonos Voice Assistant; Google Assistant (via a separate speaker only) Price $ 349 $ 219
You should buy the Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker if...
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