Sonos, the popular audio equipment manufacturer, has appointed Hugo Barra, a seasoned software executive, to its board of directors. This move comes as the company continues to recover from last year's app troubles, which led to a significant overhaul of its leadership and product roadmap.

Barra, who replaces Mike Volpi, the longest-serving board member with a 15-year tenure, brings a wealth of experience to the table. His impressive resume includes senior leadership positions at Google, where he led the Android ecosystem from its inception to its first billion users. He later served as VP of Oculus at Meta and oversaw global operations for Xiaomi. Currently, Barra is the co-founder and head of product at /dev/agents, a software company building a next-generation operating system for AI agents.

Sonos' decision to appoint Barra is seen as a strategic move to leverage his expertise in software development and AI. According to Julius Genachowski, Sonos' board chair, Barra's "proven ability to turn cutting-edge innovation into great products" makes him a great fit for the company. His AI background may also prove valuable in the future, as Sonos explores new technologies to enhance its products.

The appointment comes at a critical time for Sonos, which has been working to redeem itself after last year's app issues. The company has been focused on delivering performance improvements, bug fixes, and new features to its mobile app on Android and iOS. As part of this effort, Sonos recently canceled its next hardware product, a streaming video player codenamed Pinewood, to refocus on its core audio products.

Despite the challenges, Sonos' product roadmap is still in flux. The company is working on a dedicated audio video receiver and a follow-up to the Era 100 smart speaker, which recently received a price cut. According to sources inside the company, morale among employees has been improving in recent months under the leadership of interim CEO Tom Conrad, who is likely to take on the role permanently.

The addition of Barra to Sonos' board of directors is seen as a positive step towards the company's recovery. His expertise in software development and AI will undoubtedly be valuable in shaping Sonos' future products and strategy. As the company continues to navigate the competitive audio equipment market, Barra's appointment is a welcome move that could help Sonos regain its footing and drive innovation in the industry.