Yesterday, Bloomberg reported that the “woes of speaker maker Sonos have raised the prospect of a takeover.” While Apple is listed as an unlikely buyer, Amazon, Spotify, Roku, and Samsung are cited as possibilities, each with varying levels of likelihood. Sonos could still remain independent, though the company has struggled since the pandemic. Per Bloomberg:
“But with Sonos’ market valuation hovering around $1.7 billion — down from more than $5 billion during a pandemic-fueled rally — the board will probably consider whether selling the company makes more sense.”
This raises an important question: does this impact The Trade Desk’s (TTD) plans for its recently launched smart TV OS, Ventura?
Why This Matters:
Sonos has been rumored to collaborate with The Trade Desk on a smart TV featuring Ventura as its operating system. When TTD launched Ventura in November, Sonos CEO Patrick Spence was even quoted in the press release:
“At Sonos, we are committed to providing our customers with the very best home entertainment experience. We are excited to explore the integration of premium audio and video with The Trade Desk and the Ventura OS.”
However, Spence parted ways with Sonos last week after “several months of turmoil,” reportedly due to “a botched app revamp that upset customers and stymied growth.” Sonos has since named an interim CEO.
If Sonos is acquired—say by Amazon or Roku, both of which have little need for Ventura—what happens to their rumored partnership with The Trade Desk? Also, does TTD have a strong relationship with the interim CEO? Not sure. TTD is TBD, I guess.
Experts React:
Consider this tweet from AdTech Congratulating Itself in November:
Highlighting it given that TTD had an unusually quiet CES. Felt that way, no? Perhaps they had planned a push with Sonos at the show but had to pause due to the company’s current situation? Again, this is entirely speculative.
Our Take:
Here’s what we wrote last month about Ventura, which includes thoughts about Sonos:
Just how far along is Ventura? The press release announcing it says TTD “has developed Ventura,” but there was no actual OS launch or OEM partner announcement. The new job listings suggest there’s still substantial work to shape what Ventura will ultimately look like, indicating it’s still, understandably, in the early stages.
The timeline for a launch “as early as 2025” is fairly broad, giving TTD wiggle room. Much of the progress may depend on the OEM partner they choose to debut with—and their smart TV ambitions. Rumors still point to Sonos as a potential partner. It will be interesting to see how quickly this comes together.
These observations remain relevant, we think. Whether Sonos’ uncertain future affects Ventura’s rollout or timeline remains to be seen (again, entirely speculative), but the situation underscores the challenges of securing partnerships when building a CTV OS.
