Short answer: Nah, at least not a Squeezebox brand based on the architecture we know and (mostly) love.
Don't get me wrong, I think the Squeezebox ecosystem is genuinely amazing. There seems to be no limit to the adaptability and extensibility, constantly made to run on new platforms with new exciting integrations like voice control. But I don't see any market large enough for a resurrected Squeezebox line. The "unique selling point" of the package, the jewel in the crown, is LMS. Mysqueezebox is an afterthought and doesn't offer anything the competition already does equally good or better. Since the download market has dropped sharply and CD sales as far as I know are in a slow decline, it seems users having a local media library is a narrowing niche in the market. And sadly, to capitalize on the power and flexibility of LMS, there is a bit of a learning curve. It becomes very obvious when things like the recent changes to Spotify streaming that a lot of users haven't fully managed to understand this glorious concept, and I don't blame them. The Squeezebox was a reasonably priced player that came at a time when there were few alternatives, no online streaming services, no smartphones or bluetooth speakers. It was primarily aimed at users with a bit of computer skills that wanted to play their ripped CDs (and whatever MP3s could be found on Napster et al) through a stereo system. A bit of tinkering came with the territory and wasn't a problem, when you got it working it was in every sense a huge leap forward over hooking your computer to the sound system. Today you get a Spotify client in your TV or your receiver, bluetooth speakers are ubiquitous and if you have a music library at all it's often on your phone. Among "audiophiles" you may still find people interested in maintaining a music collection, but they aren't going to sully their pristine signal chain with some cheap plastic thing from a keyboard manufacturer so they aren't going to help the sales. A "dumbed down" product aimed primarily at online streaming (like UE Radio) is probably the only thing that would make any sense for Logitech, but I doubt it would have an easier time now than it did when it was cancelled in 2014. The phone (that people already use to access Spotify) and a decent speaker does the same thing. I think the Squeezebox as a concept will live on for a long time, maintained and supported by enthusiasts. The ride will inevitably be a bit rocky when Logitech pulls the plug on their servers or assigns M Herger to other tasks, but I believe it will survive that too. As much as I wish there were new players for sale, I don't see it happen, but I keep enjoying the great system I have in LMS and have no plan to stop using it. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ alfista's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=32396 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=107821 _______________________________________________ discuss mailing list discuss@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/mailman/listinfo/discuss
