Strategy in TECH...
We have learned from multiple sources, and now confirmed with the company, that leading control systems provider Crestron will in fact have a presence at the upcoming CEDIA Expo this September in Dallas, TX. This news will come as a surprise, perhaps even a shock, to many considering that just a few months ago, the company announced its departure from the residential custom integration industry’s biggest annual event.
In revisting the long-running saga of Sonos, Inc. vs. D&M Holdings, Inc. et. al., we find that after a series of skirmishes over scheduling issues – such as deadlines for filings and responses, and new claims and counterclaims filed – there appears to be a concerted effort by both parties to ratchet up the pressure. So far, it appears to our non-legally educated eyes that Sonos has a slight edge in this game, winning the scheduling skirmish and winning the right to expand the number of patents at issue.
The legal war between Sonos, Inc. and D&M Holdings, Inc. is really just getting started and already D&M Holdings has lost its first major battle – with U.S. District Judge Richard G. Andrews denying their motion to disqualify the attorneys representing Sonos. The matter, a patent infringement case filed by Sonos in late 2014 against D&M Holdings, Inc. dba The D+M Group, D&M Holdings U.S. Inc., and Denon Electronics (USA), LLC (D&M), is related to D&M’s HEOS line of wireless music systems.
This week in New York City, executives from Lenbrook America and Bluesound conducted a media presentation informing them of a major update to the Bluesound brand, which is distributed in the U.S. by Lenbrook America along with NAD and PSB. It is the first major line update since the brand was first launched in 2013. With this update, called “Generation 2,” the Bluesound brand appears to have gained solid momentum – or at least enough traction for the company to justify a significant investment in further product development.
The legal battle in the patent infringement case filed by Sonos, Inc. (Sonos) against D&M Holdings, Inc. dba The D+M Group, D&M Hodlings U.S. Inc., and Denon Electronics (USA), LLC (D&M) continues to heat up as lawyers launch new salvos against each other alleging – among other things – improper actions. In February, we reported that D&M’s legal team had filed a Motion to Disqualify the Sonos legal team, with the astonishing allegation that at one time these lawyers worked for both Sonos and D&M at the same time.
Earlier this month, we reported that D&M Holdings U.S., Inc. (D&M) [and Denon Electronics] had responded to the patent infringement lawsuit filed by Sonos, Inc. (Sonos) this past October by asking the judge to dismiss or throw out the case. Now, in a surprising twist of events, D&M has followed this initial left jab with a right uppercut that may result in Sonos’ attorneys getting knocked out of the case altogether – whether the judge dismisses it or not.
D&M Holdings fired back at Sonos this week, filing papers with the United States District Court asking the judge to dismiss the lawsuit launched against them by Sonos last October alleging patent infringement. Saying that Sonos’ complaints, both the original and a later-amended one, “fail to meet the pleading requirements” established by the U.S. Supreme Court, as well as the U.S. District Court.
Likely not the response that Sonos was hoping for, D&M has bounced the case back to the judge for an immediate ruling.
Earlier today, we reported that wireless music system powerhouse Sonos had filed a lawsuit against Denon in regards to its HEOS line of wireless music systems. The lawsuit alleged, among other things, infringement on four of their patents and asked the court for an injunction to stop HEOS products from being sold.
Today, we received a statement from D+M Group, the parent of Denon, in response to this lawsuit.
Congratulations Denon, your new HEOS system is so successful that wireless music monster Sonos has taken notice…and filed a lawsuit to stop it. It has been a open secret since we first learned of HEOS this past June that HEOS is meant to attack the same wireless music player market that Sonos essentially invented. Many have tried to take on Sonos…but none have come close to replicating the features and performance Sonos introduced to consumers. Until HEOS…
The Wireless Speaker and Audio Association (WiSA) announced on Tuesday that it has signed up several new members and a couple caught our eye – Gibson Guitar Corp. (now Gibson Brands) and Onkyo Corporation. Also joining the organization are loudspeaker manufacturer Dali and Australian distributor Amber Technology who markets a line of speakers called Accent Digital.
