A smaller successor to the Sonos Move wireless smart speaker may be on the horizon, according to documents filed with the FCC.

The filing, discovered by The Verge, appears to detail a Bluetooth- and Wi-Fi-capable speaker with a cylindrical design that would be easier to carry than the existing Move. [because while the Move is the best waterproof speaker and one of the best Bluetooth speakers overall, it is also a bit on the bulky side. A slimmer, lighter design would increase Sonos' chances of competing with products like the UE Megaboom 3 as a go-anywhere speaker.

Given the confirmed inclusion of 802.11ac Wi-Fi, this new speaker will likely follow Sonos Move, Sonos' first fully wireless speaker, in offering built-in streaming and smart assistant capabilities.

Also, in one drawing the device appears to be placed on a wireless charging dock, reinforcing that it is a battery-powered speaker. Also, the new device is listed as consuming less power than the Move, so miniaturization is a safe bet.

Another view shows a laser-etched label displayed on the underside of the device, with the label in a circular pattern. This further shows a thin cylindrical shape, more similar to the Megaboom 3 than the almost bucket-shaped Move.

Sonos' Move is one of the best sounding wireless smart speakers available. The smaller design immediately solves the Move's portability issues, and because it uses 802.11ac Wi-Fi instead of the Move's 802.11n, it will manage better wireless performance at longer distances from routers. This is especially important for wireless speakers that are intended to be taken outside.

We would also expect to see improved waterproofing, as Move's IP56 rating, while splashproof, does not withstand complete submersion like the Megaboom 3. However, there is no specific mention of this in the application documents.

Still, this new speaker is definitely related to the Sonos Move: its model number is given as S27, whereas that of the Move is S17. Hopefully, with a shorter, less powerful driver, it will be cheaper than the $400 Move.