Bowers & Wilkins to launch enhanced Home app for Formation range in 2020

[What Hi-Fi?]

The upd Home app promises a better wireless streaming experience across the Formation speaker range.

Bowers & Wilkins to launch enhanced Home app for Formation range in 2020 : Read more

 

[Mugen]

I am at the search of upgrading Wireless speaker ecosystem from current HEOS setup at my home. B&W Formation is one of top contender (as all sites seem to agree it has the highest sound quality) but the software limitation seems significant.

One can always hope software is fixable in the future, but that is never guaranteed and I got burned so many times with such assumption.

I hope B&W will release the enhanced (or perhaps REAL) Home app soon. Though the first iteration still seems to lack Amazon HD support and voice control compatibility.

 

[gowiththeflow]

Apart from upgrading the app to allow direct access to a range of streaming services, from the likes of Tidal, Qobuz etc, the other upgrades that the Formation Duo could benefit from are some form of basic DSP room adjustment, similar to that provided by Dynaudio and KEF; and a modification to the Formation Audio box, to allow more than one external digital source to be connected to the system, with a choice of connector types (optical, co-ax and usb).
Only having a single digital and a single analogue input on the Formation Audio, is scandalous at a price of £600.

 

[gowiththeflow]

10 months on from this announcement and the promised update to the app hasn't materialised.

EVA Automation, who acquired a controlling interest in B&W 4 years ago and brought the Formation wireless technology to the speaker brand, have gone bankrupt and departed the scene.
Another group, Sound United, have stepped up to take over majority ownership of B&W.

Which begs the question; can B&W continue developing their Formation range?
Who was developing the app, EVA or B&W ?

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