It's been more than 18 months since Bose launched its SoundLink wireless Bluetooth speaker and the audio market has shifted since, to devices that are even more portable than that classic, radio-looking device.

That's why the company has been busy beavering away on a new mobile speaker that can take on the likes of the Jawbone Jambox and Beats Pill in portability, yet retain the audio nous the American manufacturer is famed for: the Bose SoundLink Mini.

Smaller than many other portable Bluetooth speakers on the market in the same category, the SoundLink Mini can be room-fillingly loud yet accurate in bass response and mid and high frequencies. Indeed, on the big reveal the company held for Pocket-lint, we would have sworn that it was coming from a box at least twice as big if somebody from Bose hadn't been walking around with the speaker.

hands on bose soundlink mini review image 16

Inside, it utilises two passive radiators designed to shift air in the smallest of environments in order to give deep, throaty bass without the need to port it on to a surface, and two custom-built, high-powered transducers take the strain with the rest of the audiofield. They are tiny, as we found out when we held one of them, but you'd never know.

Having heard a demo of the Mini playing Queen's Another One Bites the Dust, a perilously difficult song to render accurately, we were very impressed. Certainly, we could see this little portable speaker becoming many people's main audio outlet. And because it connects to a devices via low latency Bluetooth rather than Airplay (or auxiliary input) it's compatible with all devices not just Apple's. Android, BlackBerry and Windows Phone owners rejoice.

The outer casing is made of one piece of anodised aluminium, and feels hefty because of it. It is reassuringly solid yet, at 663g, not too heavy. Measurements are 51 x 180 x 58mm, so it happily fits into the inside pocket of a jacket, let alone a bag or rucksack.

hands on bose soundlink mini review image 12

In the box you also get a charging cradle that connects with some tiny pins in one corner, and a full charge will allow for up to 12 hours of continuous playback, so it would be ideal for a jaunt away.

Up to six devices can be paired and stored in the memory, so you don't have to fumble about with the pairing controls each and every time, and Bose will be releasing a selection of accessories, including three differently coloured bumper style covers - in blue, green and orange - and a carry case.

Coming out on 11 July, the Bose SoundLink Mini will cost £169.95, and can be pre-ordered from Bose now.

Pocket-lint will be reviewing the speaker in more depth soon.