Sonos Arc soundbar makes jump to Dolby Atmos audio

Sonos has announced a new flagship soundbar with the latest surround-sound technology.

The Sonos Arc is the firm's first model to incorporate Dolby Atmos - which bounces audio off the ceiling to create the impression that sounds are being emitted from different heights.

The launch comes nearly five years after Yamaha was first to bring an Atmos soundbar to market.

Sonos may benefit from the coronavirus having caused many cinemas to close.

But company watchers have warned that people's concerns about their jobs and personal finances may deter them from buying such a premium-priced product at this time.

"At the beginning sort of the lockdown period, we did see an uptick in demand for products like TVs," said David Watkins, an analyst at Strategy Analytics.

But, he added, in April and May, "we've seen that demand start to really soften and fade away" as consumers realise how long the impact of the pandemic may last.