Bose and Sonos are leaders in smart home entertainment systems, but their speakers may have some competition coming from none other than Apple.

Apple has patented a "wireless and wired speaker hub for home theater systems" that consists of seven output speakers and a subwoofer and sends "multiple channels" to a central audio hub.

Patently Apple shared images of the patent showing a living room with a complex entertainment setup. Such concepts have been presented before by Bose, Sonos, and high-end TV manufacturers like LG and Samsung. But this is the first time Apple has proposed such a complete smart home system. Let's see it in action.

Apple's HomePod is technically a smart speaker, but it doesn't sound as premium as the Sonos One. Bose makes audio easy, too, with the Soundbar 500, for example, which can be adjusted to sound optimal for the room in which it is placed.

Apple's plans to compete with these longtime audio manufacturers could be the next evolution of the Apple 4K TV or similar streaming hub. Either way, competing with the longtime speaker market dominant player will require a unique angle to improve home entertainment.

Apple is constantly patenting new devices, but they rarely see the light of day. However, with the HomePod and Apple TV lineup established, it is possible that we will hear home entertainment news from the company when the iPhone 12 is announced in the fall.