Question

Alexa Drop-In on Sonos One

  • 29 October 2017
  • 33 replies
  • 28349 views

Userlevel 2
  • Contributor I
  • 2 replies
The ability to use your Alexa enabled devices' as intercoms (drop-in) does not work on the Alexa enabled Sonos One. Or I can't figure out how to activate. Drop-in needs to be enables on your Amazon devices (echos, dots, etc.) in order to work but there doesn't seem to be a way to do that on the One. Am I missing something?

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33 replies

Really I wasn't aware that it was whining by stating a simple fact. Had Sonos had the decency in the first place to advertise the Sonos One with LIMITED Alexa integration then there would probably not be so many posts across the internet complaining about the issue. False advertising in my book is something I feel able to complain about having spent a lot of money on something without it being deemed as "whining".

Sonos cannot be responsible for your assumptions. It's just that simple. Below is the link where Sonos says what you can with Alexa:

https://www.sonos.com/en-us/alexa-on-sonos

If you go view the product on Amazon, it even says not all Alexa commands work.

No where does it say that you can do drop in's or sync with other non-sonos alexa devices. It does not promise that you can do everything you can do with an echo. Although it certainly has been done before, a company is not required to advertise all the things that a product doesn't do. I understand why assumptions are made, and the resulting disappointment when assumptions aren't met. I just can't see how you can call that false advertising.

I have little doubt that Sonos (and other companies with Alexa enabled devices) discussed how they would communicate this issue with their legal and advertising department. I suppose I would prefer companies try and anticipate assumptions made about product features, but it typically isn't good advertising to tell customers all the things your product can't do.

It's just my opinion, but given the massive volume of products available today, and the equally massive availability of information about these products, the ability to ask questions about products...why not take the time to research? I get that you may not even know what questions to even ask, but you'll often find answers to questions I didn't even think to ask rather quickly.
Userlevel 7
Badge +11
I’m always amazed at people who refuse to listen to simple facts. Amazon doesn’t allow this feature on devices other than their own. Go whine at Amazon!
I am always amazed that some people will defend Sonos come what may and become aggressive with anyone who is not a Sonos evangelist!

Yes, it looks like Amazon have withheld this feature and have stopped Sonos implementing it. But Sonos should have made it clear in their advertising what the Sonos One could and could not do.

It is perfectly fair for Sonos One purchasers to express their disappoint at being mislead. It is also reasonable to advise them to reach out to Amazon on this issue. But it is not reasonable to flame them.

Just my opinion, YMMV.
Userlevel 1
Really I wasn't aware that it was whining by stating a simple fact. Had Sonos had the decency in the first place to advertise the Sonos One with LIMITED Alexa integration then there would probably not be so many posts across the internet complaining about the issue. False advertising in my book is something I feel able to complain about having spent a lot of money on something without it being deemed as "whining".
I’m always amazed at people who refuse to listen to simple facts. Amazon doesn’t allow this feature on devices other than their own. Go whine at Amazon!
Userlevel 1
Been a long time waiting for this feature and still nothing. Also just wondering here does anyone from Sonos ever comment on these concerns their customers have or Ammi silly and misguided to think that a company would create a community for its users so they could actually communicate to us about issues raised . . . . . Very disilusioned
I also have had the same experience that a lot of You commented on. Bought the Sonos One (Actually 2 of them) Expecting the fI’ll Alexa experience.
However, I believe that Amazon will add this feature eventually, perhaps It was an oversight?Or maybe I’m optimistic? But keep in mind Amazon has allowed third parties access to their system, meaning companies like Apple have not done so. Siri is a closed system. I don’t know why Amazon would limit just this one feature?
That's up to Amazon. For now, they are limiting the Drop In feature to Echo devices only.
I just bought two new Sonos Ones for our home office and bedroom upstairs and two Play 1s to use downstairs with the Echo we already have. I am very disappointed that the drop in feature dose not work, as this was one of the main reasons I paid more to get the Ones vs. the Play 1s for upstairs. Otherwise, I could have just bought a couple Echo dots and the Play 1s instead (and I still may as looks unlikely that this features will be supported by the Sonos Ones.) Like others, I expected that what works on the Echo would work on the Sonos One, but clearly I was mistaken.
Todoke... the Sonos speakers are already superior to Amazon speakers and I’d argue the user base is different and the competitive overlap is small.

Parity on Alexa features will not significantly change that. Drop-In support to Sonos would be significant for Sonos users but does little to change the competitive landscape v Amazon.
Forget it guys. This feature will not be added. Amazon is not enabling it to make their own smart speakers more attractive to buyers. If they would enable it, their own speakers would lose a big selling point
this wasn’t made clear when purchasing. Do you know when these features will be available .... or should I be looking to return Sonos One?
Did not realise that Alexa for Sonos One was a limited feature set. I can’t believe Sonos/Amazon didn’t realise that customers would want the full Alexa feature set which leads me to believe that I’ve been somewhat conned. I am tempted to return the Sonos ...poor show guys!
Same here, just brought Sonos One ...with Alexa expecting FULL integration, particularly drop in ...as kids have echo dots, but am sadly disappointed ??
Userlevel 1
I have also replaced my play 1 and Dot with the One expecting the drop-in feature. Really hope they can work with Amazon to get the full integration of Alexa. It almost seems like false advertising. I'm sure it says something in the user terms and agreements. Still doesn't make me feel less dooped.
To be fair not all constraints are due to a desire to restrict features and prevent competition. Sometimes there are technical reasons why a given feature can only be supported within the native infrastructure of a product. I suspect there are a lot of rapidly evolving feature areas in Alexa that would be a challenge for Sonos to keep up with using their normal pace of development. This could be one of them. There might also be a significant lag in how fast Amazon can implement new features vs. how fast they can update the API to permit 3rd parties to use those same features.
It's entirely possible that it won't happen. My expectation is that there's a base level of functionality that Amazon wants to keep to their own hardware in order to drive their own sales, rather than other companies hardware. I hope I'm wrong, but I'm not willing to bet the farm on it happening, either.
This is a bummer. I have started using Echo Dot as intercom and purchased a One to replace my 1 located in my kitchen for the very purpose of eliminating the yelling upstairs to teenage kids. I have faith that Sonos and Amazon will add this easy functionality (and do so quickly).
Userlevel 7
Badge +21
Calling and Drop-in are unfortunately not features that Sonos can just add to their speakers. If Amazon doesn't let them have access to the feature, then there's nothing Sonos can do.

No feature releases? No app updates? We have new features for existing players (the Alexa skill, along with direct control through the Pandora app) , a controller app update (regardless of how hated the UI is), and a new device (the Sonos One) all released in the past three months. How can you say that Sonos isn't updating their stuff?!?! Just because there aren't updates released every week doesn't mean they aren't working on stuff! They already get complaints that updates are too frequent!
Userlevel 3
Badge +4
No feature releases, no response for genuine requests , no app update. Are they going blackberry and Nokia way ?That makes me wonder what would happen if Sonos stopped trading. Would our speakers still work? I know they need to connect to Sonos servers for Alexa to work and, I think, for setting up speakers.
Userlevel 2
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No feature releases, no response for genuine requests , no app update. Are they going blackberry and Nokia way ?
Userlevel 3
Yes, this is extremely disappointing. Please add Drop In support!
I’m gutted drop in doesn’t work I’ve purchased the ones for Christmas gifts and this was a feature I was hoping to use I may have to consider returning them
Userlevel 2
Badge +1
Like so many others, I just replaced two of my play 1 players with two Sonos One. I'm very disappointed that neither the Dop In or calling feature work. I would not have made the investment had I know this. So much for additional play one replacements. I would have rather invested in the Echo Show.

Ken
This is a shame. I was bouncing between Sonos One and another Alexa and chose this option. It also did not occur to me you can’t drop in. Bummer. I bet this thread gets a lot of attention over Christmas even if it was taken for granted there are reasons it will trip a lot of people.

The reason why it did not occur to me is I can receive and initiate Alexa Drop In from my iPhone. These are similar rules if you ask me but Amazon would have to be the ones who open it up for Sonos.

Not really a partnership like the Video describes.
Userlevel 1
I too purchased my Sonos one to use with drop in. Please Amazon, fix this.......