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In a strategic move to rejuvenate its leadership, Sonos has appointed Hugo Barra to its board of directors, succeeding Mike Volpi, who has served for an impressive 15 years. This change comes as the company seeks to recover from last year’s challenges related to its mobile application.
Barra boasts an extensive background in the technology sector, having held significant roles at leading firms. Notably, he played a crucial role at Google, where he was instrumental in the expansion of the Android ecosystem during its formative years, helping it achieve over a billion users. His career progressed with notable positions at Xiaomi, where he directed global operations for the prominent smartphone maker, and later at Meta, where he acted as vice president in the Oculus virtual reality division.
Currently, Barra is a co-founder and head of product at /dev/agents, a firm dedicated to developing advanced operating systems for artificial intelligence agents. Sonos appears to be optimistic about Barra’s addition to the board, recognizing his proven track record and anticipating that his expertise in AI may benefit the company in the future.
“He has a proven ability to turn cutting-edge innovation into great products — a great fit for Sonos,” said board chair Julius Genachowski in an official statement shared through a press release. “With his deep expertise, including in AI, we’re excited to have him on the Board, engaging with the leadership team and adding value.”
Sonos is committed to enhancing its performance, rectifying bugs, and introducing new features to its mobile app for both Android and iOS users. In line with this renewed focus, the company recently made the decision to halt the development of a streaming video player, codenamed Pinewood, which was initially reported last month by The Verge.
While Sonos’ product strategy is currently in a state of transition, the company continues to work on a dedicated audio video receiver and plans to launch an upgraded version of the Era 100 smart speaker, which recently saw a price adjustment. Insider sources indicate that employee morale within Sonos is improving, thanks in part to interim CEO Tom Conrad’s active efforts to realign the company and introduce new dynamics within its leadership.
Source
www.theverge.com