Sonos adds Apple AirPlay support in latest OS update, debuts Android controller app

We were promised scads of home theater devices that would support Apple's AirPlay technology, which allows you to stream music and video from your iPhone and iPad to an HDTV or an audio system, and they're coming in drips and drabs. A major one comes today in the form of Sonos' multi-room speaker system, which gets AirPlay support in a free update to its software.

Sonos 3.4 gives you the capability to stream songs from your iOS 4.3 device via an AirPlay-compatible source to a ZonePlayer in the usual Sonos manner. That is, you can play the same song on a number of ZonePlayers simultaneously, or you can play different tunes on different ZonePlayers at the same time. The software update also provides support for iOS multitasking via its Sonos Controller iPhone and iPad apps.

Speaking of controlling your Sonos system via a mobile app, the company has also announced a new Android Controller that's available for free from the Android Market. One notable feature of the app is the ability to do a voice search for a particular song, artist or album on your phone. As with the iOS version of the Controller, you can stream different songs to different rooms or the same song across your house. The Controller app works with smartphones running Android 2.1 or later and with a 320x480 minimum screen size.