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Bowers & Wilkins has relaunched its Zeppelin wireless speaker. The new model, the latest in a range that began with the original Zeppelin iPod dock in 2007, introduces Alexa voice control, aptX Adaptive Bluetooth, app control/streaming and multiroom functionality.

Available from today priced £699, the new speaker 'reimagines the Zeppelin for the streaming age' and promises both a better performance and greater flexibility than B&W's previous Zeppelin Wireless.

The physical design hasn't changed that much, however: the Zeppelin again flaunts the airship-style curved chassis of its predecessors.

Finish options are Midnight Grey or a (lighter) Pearl Grey (pictured above). One new design wheeze is a switchable, dimmable 'halo' light that illuminates the speaker's metal pedestal stand (insert your own LED Zeppelin joke here).

Internally, the Zeppelin packs a stereo speaker array. Left and right channels each get a 3.5in FST (Fixed Suspension Transducer) mid-range driver and 1in Decoupled Double Dome tweeter, technologies found on the company's 800 Series Diamond and 600 Anniversary Series loudspeakers respectively.

There's then a new 6in bass driver mounted centrally within the Zeppelin's 'ultra-rigid' FEA-optimised enclosure. Total amplifier power is rated at 240W, while frequency response is a claimed 35Hz-24kHz.

The result, says B&W, is 'room-filling stereo sound no single-box rival can match... wide, spacious and highly accurate.'

The Zeppelin has no physical inputs – it's streaming all the way. The Bluetooth specification has been upgraded from 4.1 to 5.0, with support for aptX Adaptive, plus AAC and SBC. There's also AirPlay 2 for iOS users.

Spotify Connect is integrated, but as the Zeppelin can now be controlled via B&W's Music App, other services – including Tidal, Qobuz, Deezer and TuneIn – are available too.

Amazon's Alexa voice assistant is also onboard, allowing for hands-free control. The unit still has physical control keys at the back, however.

A final party trick is future support for multiroom audio – a feature lacking from its Zeppelin Wireless predecessor. B&W says the Zeppelin's 'powerful digital "brain"', which handles DSP, enables upgrades 'over time', one of which will be multiroom capability from early 2022. This will allow multiple Zeppelins to join forces, or for a multiroom system featuring products from B&W's Formation range.

See Bowers & Wilkins' website for more info.