The smart speaker market has long been dominated by the usual giants — Apple, Google, Amazon, and Sonos. But a new challenger from audio specialist WiiM is turning heads, and it’s currently available at a significant discount. The WiiM Sound, a 100W smart speaker with a 1.8-inch touchscreen, is now 15% off at both Amazon and WiiM’s own store, bringing its price down from $299.99 to $254.15. This deal puts it in direct competition with Apple’s HomePod 2, which costs $299 — and according to multiple reviewers, the WiiM Sound offers something the HomePod doesn’t: true ecosystem freedom.

What Makes the WiiM Sound Different?

Unlike most smart speakers that tie you to a single ecosystem, the WiiM Sound is deliberately platform-agnostic. As The Verge notes, it supports over 20 different music services and connects via Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, and even Ethernet. It also works with Chromecast, Spotify Connect, DLNA, Alexa Cast, and other standards, meaning it can be added to existing multi-room setups from Google Home or Amazon Echo. The only notable omission is AirPlay 2 support, though WiiM’s separate Pro Music Streamer does include it.

This open approach is a major selling point for consumers who don’t want to be locked into Apple’s or Amazon’s ecosystem. The WiiM Sound can be paired with other WiiM speakers to create a surround-sound system, and its 1.8-inch touchscreen displays album art and other information — a feature that the HomePod 2 lacks.

A Lite Version, Too

For those who don’t need the touchscreen, WiiM also offers the Sound Lite, which is also discounted to $194.65 (from $229). It has the same audio hardware and connectivity but skips the display and the included voice remote (which retails for around $33). Both speakers support Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3, and both can be used in stereo or surround configurations.

How Does It Sound? Expert Reviews Weigh In

What Hi-Fi, one of the most respected audio publications, has been testing the WiiM Sound and comparing it directly to the Apple HomePod 2. Their review headline asks the key question: “a HomePod-rivalling smart design and ample streaming features, but does it sound as good?” The answer, according to their early testing, is nuanced. While the WiiM Sound offers a highly detailed and spacious soundstage, the HomePod 2 still has an edge in sheer bass depth and room-filling presence. However, the WiiM Sound’s versatility and feature set make it a compelling alternative — especially for those who don't live in the Apple ecosystem.

“The WiiM Sound is the smart speaker for people who refuse to pick a side. It does almost everything the HomePod does, but it plays nice with the services and devices you already own.” — The Verge

Forbes called the WiiM Sound “eagerly awaited” and noted that its release marks a shift in the market, giving consumers a high-quality, open alternative to the closed platforms offered by Big Tech. MSN’s hands-on experience was even more effusive: “Move over HomePod: This new touchscreen smart speaker blew me away.” The article highlights how the touchscreen and multi-room capabilities make it feel more like a modern smart home hub than a simple speaker.

The Bigger Picture: WiiM’s Growing Ecosystem

The WiiM Sound is not the company’s first product, nor its last. WiiM has been building a reputation with streaming amplifiers and adapters that let legacy speakers become “smart.” The WiiM Amp, reviewed by iMore, is a compact amplifier that turns any passive speakers into a streaming system. The WiiM Mini, small enough to plug into an existing stereo, brings AirPlay 2 and Alexa Cast to old hi-fi systems. These products share the same design philosophy — open, flexible, and affordable — and they’re regularly recommended in What Hi-Fi’s “Best multi-room wireless systems” and “Best Sonos alternatives” roundups.

The company’s approach has not gone unnoticed. MSN reported that the WiiM Sound’s price “should worry Apple,” noting that it undercuts the HomePod 2 while offering more connectivity options. For budget-conscious audiophiles, the WiiM Sound’s current 15% discount makes it an even more tempting option.

Why This Matters to Consumers

For years, choosing a smart speaker meant committing to a platform. Buy a HomePod and you’re all-in on Apple Music and Siri; buy an Echo and you’re in Amazon’s world. The WiiM Sound breaks that mold. It gives you a high-quality speaker that works with everything from Spotify and Tidal to Plex and TuneIn, and it can be integrated into a multi-room system alongside Chromecast or Alexa speakers. This flexibility is a breath of fresh air in a market where compatibility is often more important than raw sound quality.

That’s not to say the WiiM Sound is perfect. It lacks the HomePod 2’s spatial audio and tightest bass, and its voice assistant support is limited compared to Alexa or Siri — though it does work with both via their respective Cast mechanisms. However, for the many users who never use the assistant features anyway, the WiiM Sound’s broad compatibility and rich feature set make it a smarter buy.

The Deal at a Glance

  • WiiM Sound: $299.99 → $254.15 (15% off) at Amazon and WiiM
  • WiiM Sound Lite: $229 → $194.65 (15% off) at Amazon and WiiM
  • Key features: 100W output, 1.8-inch touchscreen (Sound only), Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, Ethernet, Chromecast, Spotify Connect, DLNA, Alexa Cast
  • Compatible with: Multi-room setups via Google Home or Amazon Echo, pairing with other WiiM speakers for surround sound

Whether you’re looking to upgrade your current setup or trying to build a multi-room system without breaking the bank, this deal makes the WiiM Sound an increasingly hard-to-ignore contender. In a world where our gadgets often force us into digital silos, the WiiM Sound offers an integrated future — and it’s on sale right now.