I test Wi-Fi speakers for a living — if you’re switching away from Sonos, this one feature is an absolute must-have

When you’re upgrading your wireless speaker, it can be tempting to focus on finding the most trailblazing features. Spatial Audio. AI-enriched voice assistants. HDMI input for home cinema sound. But sometimes you’ll find it’s the more prosaic features that you’ll miss most if they’re absent.

I’ve tested a lot of wireless speakers over my career, so I’ve got a lot of experience in both feature-packed superstars and no-frills Wi-Fi workhorses. But I’m also heavily invested in Apple’s ecosystem – I use an iPhone 16 Pro, MacBook Pro, Apple TV and Apple Music. That’s why there’s one feature that’s an absolute deal breaker for me: AirPlay 2.

So if you’re stepping outside of Sonos’s ecosystem for the first time and, like me, Apple gadgets are your go-to, let me explain why this is still a ...