A mysterious new Sonos soundbar just surfaced ahead of launch

Sonos might be preparing for a much busier September than we expected. We recently got our first glimpse at the upcoming Sonos Ace Ultra headphones, followed by more details about their expected price, improved battery life, and other upgrades. But turns out the headphones may not be arriving alone.

A new Sonos soundbar has appeared in a FCC filing (first spotted by Bloomberg), suggesting the company may be preparing to refresh another key part of its audio lineup. The new soundbar carries the model number S59 and is internally known as “Gambit.” It looks similar to the second-generation Sonos Beam, which launched in 2021. More importantly, the soundbar is expected to make its official debut next month, potentially alongside the Ace Ultra.

That could make this particularly interesting for anyone who has been holding off on upgrading their TV audio setup. The Beam has long occupied a nice middle ground in Sonos’ lineup: it’s considerably easier to squeeze under a TV than the company’s larger soundbars, while still giving you a much bigger, more immersive sound than the speakers built into most TVs. A successor could make that formula more appealing without forcing you to find space for a massive soundbar in your living room.

The FCC paperwork unfortunately doesn’t give us much to work with beyond the new hardware. We don’t even have its final retail name yet, so it’s unclear whether Sonos will treat it as another Beam generation or take the product in a slightly different direction. Still, an FCC appearance is usually a good sign that a device is getting close to release. So, seeing the S59 reach this stage lines up nicely with reports of a September launch.

It also adds to what is shaping up to be a broader Sonos hardware refresh. The Ace Ultra has already passed FCC certification, with previous documentation pointing to tighter integration with Sonos’ home audio ecosystem. Imagine coming home, taking off your headphones, and having your music or other audio move more seamlessly to the speakers around your house — that kind of ecosystem integration is where Sonos has an opportunity to make the Ace Ultra stand out.

Pair that with a new soundbar, and September is an important month for Sonos fans. We still need to learn what the S59 actually improves, but after roughly five years with the current Beam, Sonos has plenty of room to give people a reason to upgrade.