Sonos CEO Patrick Spence on audio’s bright future
The Week Portfolio talks to the head of the popular speaker brand about podcasts, the ‘sonic internet’ and threats to music
You’ve spoken in the past about the “sonic internet”. Explain to us what that is, and how it will change the way people interact with online content?
We're living in a golden age of content. TV epics. Podcasts on every topic. Artfully recorded audiobooks that take you to new worlds. And endless catalogues of music for every taste. Simultaneously, we've seen the rise of voice assistants that can deliver all of the riches of this golden age to you on-demand. While before accessing content was a matter to typing, swiping, and clicking -- today it's simply a matter of asking and listening. The interactive nature of this experience makes it possible for the smart speaker to become the central technology of the home, but more important from our point of view, the technology at the heart of our at-home cultural experience.
In an open letter last year, you decried the threats to music, journalism, and freedom of expression – and launched your Listen Better campaign. What do you think are the biggest threats to music and freedom of expression at the moment? And how can people help to ensure that freedom is not eroded?
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We've spent a year listening to non-profit organizations around the world to understand their thoughts on this question, and we believe one of the greatest threats to music, journalism and freedom of expression is the failure to systematically educate our children on how use their voices. One of the key things we believe people can do over the long-term is arming our children with the critical thinking skills to truly listen and the creative courage to speak or sing or write thoughtfully and with conviction.
Would you describe yourself as an audiophile? What is most important to you in a good speaker?
I don’t know about the label, but I love music and it has to sound great. It’s like nails against the chalkboard when I see someone listening to music out loud through the speakers on their phone. A great speaker should enable you to easily play any content you want from any source. It should sound and look great, and it should last for years.
And, away from speakers, when you are on the move what is your preferred brand of headphones?
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I can’t say I’ve found a pair that I’m really happy with. I’m always trying a new brand/style.
Sonos CEO Patrick Spence
Are you a podcast listener, yourself? If so, what are your must-hear podcasts at the moment (The Week Unwrapped is presumably top of the list)?
I am an avid podcast listener. I start my day with “Up First” from NPR, and make a point of listening to Pivot with Kara Swisher & Scott Galloway, the Vergecast, and GadgetLab from Wired. Longform is an interesting one for the story behind the story.
There is still considerable distrust around voice-controlled devices. Are people right to have concerns about being listened to?
Privacy matters, and voice-controlled devices inherently bring privacy concerns. As an industry it's important that we recognize those concerns and be proactive in addressing them. We believe proactivity starts with transparent policies, choice of voice services, and clear user controls. That's why our strategy is to be voice service agnostic so people can choose the voice service that they trust and have the confidence that as their voice service preferences change, their Sonos products will be able to adapt. As far as user controls, we've also hardwired our microphones to the lights on our products, so you can feel confident that when the light is off, the microphone is off.
Your first earnings figures since your IPO showed a drop in revenue. How confident are you that this was a short-term blip and that things are now moving in the right direction?
We've spent a lot of time educating the market about how we work at Sonos, and I'm confident that while we're different, it's a difference to be proud of. We're unconventional compared to traditional CE companies because we're designing products that are built to last for a long time. 93% of all of the products we've shipped received a software update last year, which is completely unheard of in this industry. And because our products are built to last, our customers buy more than one. 38% of purchases in our last fiscal year came from repeat buyers. We're playing the long game here, which is good for customers and good for investors.
What attracted you to want to join Sonos in the first place?
We had Sonos in our own home, and I saw its power in action – how it made it easy for my family and our guests to enjoy great music. We sold dozens of people on Sonos before I even joined the company. When I had a chance to meet the people at Sonos, and understand the opportunity to bring this amazing system to millions of people around the world, I was sold. The product, the people are the opportunity are as exciting today as when I started.
And finally, what is next for the company? Where would you like to see Sonos in ten years’ time?
In 10 years, Sonos will continue to be the premium sound brand of choice for those who care about culture. You can expect to see an increased product cadence, investments in building our platform to support all of the voice and streaming services that matter, and expansion into new markets. In July we launched the Sonos Beam. In August, we announced Sonos Amp. Just this month, we began full operations in Japan, the second largest music market in the world. That's just the beginning.
For more, visit sonos.com
Arion McNicoll is a freelance writer at The Week Digital and was previously the UK website’s editor. He has also held senior editorial roles at CNN, The Times and The Sunday Times. Along with his writing work, he co-hosts “Today in History with The Retrospectors”, Rethink Audio’s flagship daily podcast, and is a regular panellist (and occasional stand-in host) on “The Week Unwrapped”. He is also a judge for The Publisher Podcast Awards.