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Alexa/Audible and Sonos?

  • 5 October 2017
  • 36 replies
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Userlevel 2
Just got the new Alexa integration working but where are the Audible Audiobooks???!!! This is my number one use case and been waiting for two years since Sonos broke the previous integration. Come on people!
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Best answer by Ryan S 18 January 2018, 01:41

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That’s a bit harsh on Sonos tbh. What I think most people miss is the non-Amazon non-echo devices are “Alexa enabled” and are therefore less capable than the true blue echo devices. Even some Amazon hardware is only Alexa enabled and doesn’t support the full Alexa Echo feature set. Third parties can only develop the facilities as and when the Amazon APIs allow them to develop, no matter how ‘easy’ non-developers think it should be.
I’ve been waiting a year now...

seriously disappointed with Sonos and their inability to commit to a fix date.

Promoting your product with Alexa that isn’t fit to be call Sonos Alexa is fake marketing.

You don’t have a release date or you are refusing to share demonstrates the difference between a company like Apple who delivers on release dates

and Sonos who seriously is losing good will from people who purchased Sonos and wants simple audible functionality...

ie play a book on audible and it comes out of a Sonos speaker ...

how hard can it get!

We can put a man on the frikin moon!!

Geez ...so I go buy Sonos Alexa as John Lewis guy says yes Alexa plays audible...

so I buy 2 £400 for Christmas to add to my massive Sonos system...

still no audible...

joke!

Hope your Sales Director reads the car crash support you’re offering for this feature !

Should be ashamed about releasing a product that’s only 50% Alexa ... it’s not just audible bit loads of other functionality missing ....

You should rename Sonos Alexa to Sonos Ale as it’s not finished
I can understand that they want to be secretive about new functionality, so that they can get a jump on the competition, but to be secret about reinstating functionality is obviously frustrating for many Sonos customers and seems quite petty. If they're concerned about setting expectations which mightn't be met, (perhaps through no fault of their own as there are obviously at least 2 parties involved in getting this working), then at least say it's a tentative time-line, or as suggested, perhaps say what stage the re-instatement is in, (analysis, development, system test, user test, ready to roll out etc., or whatever their methodology stages are). To say so little doesn't inspire any confidence.
Userlevel 1
I agree with everyone. They say they're working on it, but can't even say what stage they're at. Is it in testing? Are they only at the brainstorming stage? After 2+ years of little to no information, I wouldn't know which to bet on. Very disappointing. And now with other products catching up, I wonder how much of a priority this is for them.
Still waiting for Audible... Feeling disappointed in Sonos.
Userlevel 3
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I agree! Just give us an honest answer and not run us around. I’ve now qualified my recommendation to friends based on how iffy things are with sonos. I really believe they intend to support audible so just a matter of communicating out when they are going to do it. Again I would rather have audible support now through the app at least and more to come. Just something letting us know our purchase is going to live up to what I was told it would do.
If Sonos were to issue a statement on this and be open and honest, I think that would go a long way and have a better outcome than what they are doing now. A candid, truthful response would be more appreciated than the repeated lies and tap-dancing that they have done so far. If Sonos is actually reading these comments and taking them into consideration, they would realize that this is now less about having this specific functionality and more about how they handling the response and communication to their customers. This issue is no longer about not being able to use Audible on our devices, and has everything to do with the growing lack of confidence in the integrity of the company. Here's what they need to do:

Apologize
Apologize for how they've handled this so far. Point out all of the occasions that they've "promised" delivery of this feature and failed. Apologize for the lack of honesty/transparency in the communications to their customers.

Come clean.
If the issue is that there is a technical limitation, a licensing issue between Amazon/Sonos, a contract dispute, or that it simply hasn't become a priority in the list of features/functionality that resources are dedicated to, come clean. There is a reason (probably several) that this hasn't been delivered as promised. If it's because Amazon is dragging their feet, and Sonos is waiting on them, then say so. If its something that's tied up in a legal dispute or contract negotiations, then say so (within legal boundaries of course). Without knowing the reasons behind the delay, it just leaves the door open to speculation. Sonos has the ability to control that message, and they should. If done right, this may have more of an impact than actually delivering the requested functionality at this point in time. They've left an infection untreated, and now it's festering.

Offer Value
Harvest every single user that has posted about this on the support forums on your site, and deliver a personalized apology summarizing points (1) and (2) above. Offer something of value that incentivizes them to further invest in the Sonos platform. A one-time 20-30% discount on any Play1, Play3 or Play5 device, for example. Give them an additional 10% off if they share the apology they received on social media with comments on how Sonos did the right thing.

Change Service Culture
This is a tough one, because who knows what the customer service culture is like at Sonos. There's evidence (opinions) all over the place in the support forums so anybody's guess is as good as mine is. This entire thing would have never happened to begin with, if the culture didn't allow it. Will Sonos examine this and take it into consideration and actually try to foster improvement in their customer service and communications? I doubt it, but for the sake of the company I hope this is used as an example of what not to do. I hope this ends up being a success story, mostly because I just want to listen to my audio books.
Userlevel 3
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I hope Sonos will support audible. I hear grumblings about and then nothing. Then random chat posters says “in big way”... what does that mean? Just fix the integration. I don’t need it to be fancy. Just want the ability to tell Alexa to play an audio book. Don’t need to stream from audible app or anything else. I would rather have bare bones now than some fully baked million way interface in the very far future. Keep it simple.
Userlevel 7
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You should mark that as the answer to this thread
Userlevel 7
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Hey guys, let's stay friendly here.

I can confirm Audible support is coming soon to Sonos, in a big way. We're working with them to bring an Audible music service integration to the Sonos app, bringing Audible support for Alexa to the Sonos, and also bringing the ability to play directly from your Audible app to Sonos players. We're not ready to share a full timeline right now, but we'll be loud when it becomes available.
Userlevel 2
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“look forward to you being gone”
Are you > 12? Is that how you always handle being incorrect? 😕
Userlevel 7
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Whatever - look forward to you being gone next month when it comes to Sonos.
Userlevel 2
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“I'm sure those waiting for support would be very unhappy if they just enabled Alexa to do Audible.“

“I never claimed to speak for the community”

:ROFL

I assumed nothing. I have it from both the horses mouth, and an understanding of the underlying technologies. If you actually want to get educated before speaking, do some searches regarding MP3/AAC vs AAX and Sonos inability to play the latter. That is why it can’t do audible natively. If you want an example of somebody quickly coming up with an app that streams audio to Sonos, try “Intercom” for Sonos. Also find the “NPROne” service built for Sonos. These (along with the existing Echo integration) illustrate very plainly that the (existing) Sonos APi can easily handle the functions necessary to play audible as well as examples of exactly how you would do aubible. The only necessary pieces remaining are the people to put it together, and time on that task. And there is no conceivable way that takes two years. PERIOD. Buhh Bye...
Userlevel 7
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I never claimed to ever speak for the community. You seem to be the one that makes all the assumptions here without any facts. I just state the facts I know so people are aware.

And I will be here in a month and you will go on your merry way playing your audible and finding someone else or some other company to belittle on another forum.
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I wonder how it is you are sure you can speak for the community? The excuses just don’t fly at this point. From scratch product development cycles typically run 18 to 24 months. This service/interface has taken longer than that, meanwhile they developed the One. The answer is simple and obvious. They have limited talent and they decided not to get more, and to use the talent they had to create a new product rather than fix an existing service. It isn’t more complicated than that.
Userlevel 7
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I don't believe Audible support coming is just Audible for Alexa. I believe it should be full blown support not just support playing via voice command. That's a lot more than some basic Audible for Alexa. I'm sure those waiting for support would be very unhappy if they just enabled Alexa to do Audible.

And as far as Alexa on Sonos - they have said its still a work in progress - yes it takes them time.
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I quoted Sonos as they marketed Sonos One (which I bought based on the marketing). Every Echo can play Audible, as can any low tech bluetooth speaker connected to one. I don’t work on exho, but know how the api works. I also understand when a company is blowing smoke. One of the people I spoke of just celebrated 19 years with Amazon, and assures me I am correct. The echo API can send any commands Sonos would like. Itvis a matter of Sonos not dealing well with streams rather than files. And as I said, not putting enough hours on the task to fix it. Blaming Amazon for a 2 year delay of Sonos is just BS. That can be evidenced by the thousands of developments and integrations they have completed, including Alexa functionality (inclusing audible) in my new OnVocal headset
Userlevel 7
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Alexa enabled devices can't do everything alexa can do. Actually many alexas can't do what other alexas can do so hard to call it a lie. There is actually an amazon page that shows all the things certain alexas can do and others can't. The Alexa Show is the only Alexa device that can actually do every alexa ability.

Glad your the Alexa expert!
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“Everything Alexa can do”. My echo can play audible with nothing but an audible account. Clearly that statement by Sonos (knowingly or not) was a lie. Saying otherwise is just being an apologist. I know Amazon developers. Its not them. Its how Sonos only dealt with files rather than streaming and lack of time on task.
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Another user with 7 sonos speakers waiting on audible here. Main reason I preordered the new One but stinks Audible isn’t there. 😞
Userlevel 4
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Join the club, cassidyb. I'm about 3 grand in, but I've got until January 14th to return to Best Buy. At this point, I'm pretty sure it's all going back.
I too feel like I bought into a cutting edge company only to find out the are falling behind against their competitors.
Userlevel 4
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SOONOS
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Dave[/quote]Ah OK, thanks. From reading around, they've been saying "soon" for a while so I'll cancel the current order and revisit once it actually exists. Not sure why the state "everything Echo can do" - it appears that there are a few missing functions.

Thanks,

Dave


Glad you cancelled an order. I'm stuck with a houseful of speakers and they know it, so only the power of the wallet from others is going to work.
I understand all of the arguments with regard to the Walled Garden technologies, however I am intrigued by the possibility of a device that supports both Alexa and Google, and multiple music services - including Apple Music.

As someone who has recently found out that they are slowly going blind, I have belatedly come to understand the frustrations that millions of visually impaired people encounter every day.

Reading the fluff pieces in my news piece I dare to hope that the Sonos One could address and overcome these walled gardens, I would dearly love to be able to use Alexa to control both Audible and Apple Music. As an Apple aficionado I am quite patient, however I do hope all this isn't Pie-in-the-Sky.