Pioneer Launches World's First Lightning-Powered Plug-and-Play Speaker - MacRumors
Skip to Content

Pioneer Launches World's First Lightning-Powered Plug-and-Play Speaker

by

Pioneer today introduced Rayz Rally, which it claims is the world's first Lightning-powered plug-and-play speaker that has no battery.

rayz rally
The portable speaker can be used to listen to music, but Pioneer is heavily marketing it as a speakerphone for conference calling.

For conference calling, Pioneer says users simply plug the Rally into the Lightning connector, initiate calls from the iPhone, and the call is automatically transferred to the speaker. Despite being small enough to fit in a pocket, the speaker is supposedly loud enough to be used in a boardroom.

pioneer rayz rally
The speaker has a single button on the front that can mute/unmute calls or play/pause music depending on what it's being used for. It also has a female Lightning connector that allows the speaker to be used with a Mac or PC, or for pass-through charging to an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, with a Lightning to USB cable.

The speaker works in tandem with Pioneer's free Rayz Appcessory Companion App on the App Store [Direct Link] for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.


Pioneer said the Rayz Rally is available today for $99.95 on Apple.com and at Apple Stores worldwide in the colors Ice, Onyx, and Space Gray. It's also available on Amazon in the United States. Prices vary by country.

Top Rated Comments

jimmysalg Avatar
122 months ago
Well they sure pioneered this product category. Oh oh OH!

K.
In my opinion this is a cool product...I have a bunch of bluetooth speakers which I love. But being able to have this on my business travel bag is great and I don't have to worry about keeping it charged. There are many instances where a portable little speaker would be great for on demand conference calls. I don't disagree that maybe 99 is a bit much
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ouimetnick Avatar
122 months ago
Pioneer is just another brand that lives on in name only. They were big in the 1970s, flagship receiver was the massive SX-1980, I had a SX-450, great sounding little thing. Beautiful aluminum face place, heavy tubing knob, solid construction, real glass used, etc
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jimmysalg Avatar
122 months ago
THIS!

People comparing this to a bluetooth speaker seem to be missing the point. It is a speakerphone you don't have to worry about keeping charged first and foremost and a speaker secondary (probably because people would complain if it didn't play music).

I work remotely and often have to struggle on the other end of a call with my boss who never thinks to be sure the audio setup is good for me as the lone remote person. If this gets good reviews, she will get one as a gift from me to save me from metaphorically squinting my ears every time work calls and throws me on a crappy speakerphone.

Anyone who says "yeah, but a lot of bluetooth speakers already have a speakerphone function LoL0lL111" probably haven't been on the other end of a call using a bluetooth speaker. Most of them have absolutely horrid quality.
HA!!! yep you don't have a need for something then you would think its stupid...Once upon a time people couldn't understand the need to have a phone that can go anywhere LOL. I bought one yesterday. I will update when I've had a chance to give it a good try. Music sounded pretty good
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
macaddiict Avatar
122 months ago
... being able to have this on my business travel bag is great and I don't have to worry about keeping it charged ...
THIS!

People comparing this to a bluetooth speaker seem to be missing the point. It is a speakerphone you don't have to worry about keeping charged first and foremost and a speaker secondary (probably because people would complain if it didn't play music).

I work remotely and often have to struggle on the other end of a call with my boss who never thinks to be sure the audio setup is good for me as the lone remote person. If this gets good reviews, she will get one as a gift from me to save me from metaphorically squinting my ears every time work calls and throws me on a crappy speakerphone.

Anyone who says "yeah, but a lot of bluetooth speakers already have a speakerphone function LoL0lL111" probably haven't been on the other end of a call using a bluetooth speaker. Most of them have absolutely horrid quality.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
sza Avatar
122 months ago
Another dongle?
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
_Refurbished_ Avatar
122 months ago
Man, I wish there was a wireless technology that did the same thing...oh wait...there is....and it's been around since before the original iPhone. It's called Bluetooth.

At $100, that's a very tough sell. I could see the appeal at $20.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iPhone Duo Trio

Here's What Apple's Apps Look Like on the iPhone Duo

Tuesday October 20, 2026 11:12 am PDT by
With just three days to go until the iPhone Duo is released, Apple is getting ready for the launch. Behind the scenes, the App Store now has screenshots of Apple's built-in apps running on the Duo. We've seen some apps in marketing materials, but images of the ones we haven't seen give us an idea of what it will be like using the iPhone Duo day to day. Many apps are shown in landscape...
Apple Creator Studio iWork suite

Apple Pulls Keynote, Pages and Numbers From App Store [Update: Back]

Thursday October 22, 2026 11:01 am PDT by
Apple has temporarily removed Keynote, Pages, and Numbers from the App Store, just after releasing an update that added iPhone Duo support and a new Intelligent Assistant. It is not clear if the apps were removed intentionally, or if it is a bug. Apple has not said when the apps will be reinstated, but if it was in error, they should return soon. Update: The Mac versions are back without...
M5 MacBook Pro

RIP, MacBook Ultra

Monday October 19, 2026 9:37 am PDT by
Apple today sent out invites for an experience in Los Angeles on Wednesday, October 28, and the "Pro and tell" tagline on the invitation likely means that the rumored MacBook models with touch-enabled OLED displays will stick with MacBook Pro branding instead of the once-rumored "MacBook Ultra" name. The long-rumored "iPhone Ultra" ended up being named iPhone Duo, so speculation that Apple...
Latest Stories
iPhone Duo Demand Reportedly Exceeds Apple's Expectations
iPhone Duo Demand Reportedly Exceeds Apple's Expectations
2 hours ago
iPhone Duo Launch Begins as First Orders Reach Customers
iPhone Duo Launch Begins as First Orders Reach Customers
9 hours ago
1Password for Agents Keeps Your Passwords Hidden From AI
1Password for Agents Keeps Your Passwords Hidden From AI
9 hours ago
iPhone Duo 24 Hours Later: Your Questions Answered
iPhone Duo 24 Hours Later: Your Questions Answered
10 hours ago
Apple's iWork Apps Get 'Intelligent Assistant' and iPhone Duo Support
Apple's iWork Apps Get 'Intelligent Assistant' and iPhone Duo Support
11 hours ago
Apple is Apparently Considering a Slightly Larger iPhone Duo
Apple is Apparently Considering a Slightly Larger iPhone Duo
11 hours ago
Giant iPhone Duo Displays Coming to Four Apple Stores
Giant iPhone Duo Displays Coming to Four Apple Stores
12 hours ago
Apple Pulls Keynote, Pages and Numbers From App Store [Update: Back]
Apple Pulls Keynote, Pages and Numbers From App Store [Update: Back]
13 hours ago
Apple Updates More Apps With iPhone Duo Support
Apple Updates More Apps With iPhone Duo Support
13 hours ago
Apple Will Label Apps 'Made for iPhone Duo' in App Store
Apple Will Label Apps 'Made for iPhone Duo' in App Store
16 hours ago
Amazon Takes $49 Off iPad With Prices Starting at $399.99
Amazon Takes $49 Off iPad With Prices Starting at $399.99
17 hours ago
F1 on Apple TV Now Available in Dolby Atmos
F1 on Apple TV Now Available in Dolby Atmos
17 hours ago
Apple Reveals More Than 50 Apps That Will Be Updated for iPhone Duo
Apple Reveals More Than 50 Apps That Will Be Updated for iPhone Duo
18 hours ago
Apple Blocks Certificates That Could Help Attackers Fake Websites
Apple Blocks Certificates That Could Help Attackers Fake Websites
19 hours ago
Giant iPhone Duo Installations Spotted at Apple Fifth Avenue
Giant iPhone Duo Installations Spotted at Apple Fifth Avenue
20 hours ago
iPhone Duo 2 Prototypes Include Under-Display Face ID
iPhone Duo 2 Prototypes Include Under-Display Face ID
20 hours ago
Tesla App Gains iPad and iPhone Duo Support
Tesla App Gains iPad and iPhone Duo Support
1 day ago
Apple Reportedly Boosts iPhone Duo Orders by 44%
Apple Reportedly Boosts iPhone Duo Orders by 44%
1 day ago
Fortnite Returning to Australian App Store After Court Ruling
Fortnite Returning to Australian App Store After Court Ruling
1 day ago
Apple Ordered to Open iPhone to Rival App Stores in Australia
Apple Ordered to Open iPhone to Rival App Stores in Australia
1 day ago
Apple Suppliers Face Hurdles Cutting Circuit Board Emissions
Apple Suppliers Face Hurdles Cutting Circuit Board Emissions
1 day ago
Things Updated for iPhone Duo With Adaptive Layout
Things Updated for iPhone Duo With Adaptive Layout
1 day ago
Simplicity and Siri AI Are HomeView's Killer Features, Apple Says
Simplicity and Siri AI Are HomeView's Killer Features, Apple Says
1 day ago
iPhone Duo Reviewers Really Miss Face ID
iPhone Duo Reviewers Really Miss Face ID
1 day ago
Does the iPhone Duo Run Hot? Here's What Reviews Found
Does the iPhone Duo Run Hot? Here's What Reviews Found
1 day ago
Apple Music's New Look is Now Live on Apple's Website
Apple Music's New Look is Now Live on Apple's Website
1 day ago
Anthropic Launches Claude Duet, a Proactive AI Agent
Anthropic Launches Claude Duet, a Proactive AI Agent
1 day ago
What 32,000 Folds Did to the iPhone Duo's Hinge
What 32,000 Folds Did to the iPhone Duo's Hinge
1 day ago
iPhone Duo's Hidden FaceTime Camera Takes 'Trash' Photos
iPhone Duo's Hidden FaceTime Camera Takes 'Trash' Photos
2 days ago
iPhone Duo Has 'Edge Light' Feature That Debuted on Macs Last Year
iPhone Duo Has 'Edge Light' Feature That Debuted on Macs Last Year
2 days ago