I am form Mumbai, India. I have been using Sonos with Alexa integration till yesterday, until Amazon launched Alexa services in India. To get the local skills I had my Amazon marketplace for Alexa changed from UK to India and since then my Sonos skill for Alexa vanished.
I am unable to search Sonos skill on Alexa Skills page. On contacting Amazon, they replied that Sonos hasn't released the skill for India 😞.
Any clue how can I enable the Sonos skill for Alexa whilst having the location India.
Regards,
Shanty
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Speaking personally, I think the team would prefer having all the main work behind the skill as done as possible before releasing it in a location, and not splitting up the release into a couple phases.
Makes sense except when the two phases are separated by months and this thinking then holds up the entire release. As I wrote, Amazon took 12 months - so they say in public - to get their hardware to understand the way we speak English. I can't see Sonos doing this a lot faster on their own. And this issue will only affect Sonos One units, and nothing else. So breaking what may otherwise seem a sensible preference may be indicated in this case.
After all, doesn't Sonos work the same way all the time - not wait for any cake to be fully and perfectly baked? Witness the beta aspects of the Sonos One Alexa release, where many things are incomplete. From mic sensitivity calibration to not offering a choice of wake words, among other things.
And your site continues to say this even today, Sonos:
"Can I use Amazon Alexa with any Sonos player?
Yes, Amazon Alexa works on all Sonos players.
Where is Amazon Alexa on Sonos available?
Amazon Alexa is currently available in the United States, Germany, Austria, and the United Kingdom."
Amazon Alexa has been available in India for more than three weeks now, and is also now available in Canada. Sonos needs to keep pace with Amazon in more ways than one, though it would be better if it did so not by changing what it claims for itself on its website, but by delivering on that claim. Marketing collateral is allowed to be flowery but it cannot be found straying from facts in statements as the above.
"Can I use Amazon Alexa with any Sonos player?
Yes, Amazon Alexa works on all Sonos players.
Where is Amazon Alexa on Sonos available?
Amazon Alexa is currently available in the United States, Germany, Austria, and the United Kingdom."
Amazon Alexa has been available in India for more than three weeks now, and is also now available in Canada. Sonos needs to keep pace with Amazon in more ways than one, though it would be better if it did so not by changing what it claims for itself on its website, but by delivering on that claim. Marketing collateral is allowed to be flowery but it cannot be found straying from facts in statements as the above.
As I can see I'll be facing the same music as you guys. I just bought Sonos One from Amazon UK (yet to receive it). Just on communicating with Amazon India Customer Care I came to know that Sonos Skills are not currently supported by Amazon India. Then I landed here. What I feel is that both Amazon and Sonos are equally responsible for the fiasco. Amazon India site officially list Sonos One, with Alexa built in, for sale. Based on this information I made my purchase. This is wrong information on part of Amazon as well.
I had not realised that Amazon is selling the One in India as well, with Amazon Purchase Protection.
That nixes even a possible Sonos claim that the One is not officially released in India - what does that mean anyway, this "officially released" business? Amazon is a Sonos channel from much before it became a partner for Alexa, and it can't get more official than that.
That nixes even a possible Sonos claim that the One is not officially released in India - what does that mean anyway, this "officially released" business? Amazon is a Sonos channel from much before it became a partner for Alexa, and it can't get more official than that.
I have a Multi room setup with 4 speakers. On speaking to sonos over Twitter was assured integration will come soon as the official policy is to launch in every country that Alexa is offered.
Purchased echo based on that. Also in the initial days the Alexa app had a sonos icon which has now disappeared. Please make this a priority.
If possible then give us a timeline
Purchased echo based on that. Also in the initial days the Alexa app had a sonos icon which has now disappeared. Please make this a priority.
If possible then give us a timeline
If possible then give us a timeline
Good luck getting anything better than "Soon".
The other thing that we also need to raise just now is the question of the simultaneous integration of Amazon Music including Prime into Sonos. Amazon India has given a year's free Prime subscription to all that have bought the Echo - with three devices purchased, mine now extends to 2021.
At this time, the only international music services that can be accessed via Echo/Dot are Amazon Music and Tune In Radio. Having Sonos Skills enabled in Alexa India but not having these services at the same time would make it a useless integration. One could use it for voice control on music playing from NAS, but that isn't half as useful as invoking music play as well.
At this time, the only international music services that can be accessed via Echo/Dot are Amazon Music and Tune In Radio. Having Sonos Skills enabled in Alexa India but not having these services at the same time would make it a useless integration. One could use it for voice control on music playing from NAS, but that isn't half as useful as invoking music play as well.
My weekly reminder on the subject to Sonos. Canada, where Amazon hardware is still to be officially released, have at least been given a time line of early 2018. India, where the hardware/Alexa were "officially" launched by Amazon on October 30, does not have even that consolation bone.
Global aspirations, Sonos?
Global aspirations, Sonos?
Got my Sonos One from US and disappointed to know that Alexa is not enabled. Being in IT industry for 20 years I dont understand the technical reason behind so much delay in enabling a skill in particular region.
I have bought an echo plus and returned due to poor quality of speakers, this is an advantage for Sonos
Considering the fact that
Sonos has to just allow customer to Enable the skill nothing else.
Alexa resides in Amazon Cloud and all communication from device is between AI API and Amazon cloud
Sonos already have the capability built in and proven in other regions
Sonos anyway do not sell or offer support in India hence nothing to loose enabling the skill.
All the above facts are pointing clear that technical issue is not the reason behind not enabling skills.
I have bought an echo plus and returned due to poor quality of speakers, this is an advantage for Sonos
Considering the fact that
Sonos has to just allow customer to Enable the skill nothing else.
Alexa resides in Amazon Cloud and all communication from device is between AI API and Amazon cloud
Sonos already have the capability built in and proven in other regions
Sonos anyway do not sell or offer support in India hence nothing to loose enabling the skill.
All the above facts are pointing clear that technical issue is not the reason behind not enabling skills.
All the above facts are pointing clear that technical issue is not the reason behind not enabling skills.
What other issue could it be? Both companies stand to get more sales by doing this, so why not do it if it was not a technical issue?
Yesterday Bose sound touch systems rolled out Alexa skills in India. Not yet tried as my echo dot on the way. One thing I appreciate with Bose is they do not discriminate when rolling out product features
In fairness to Sonos, the Bose thing looks just like a local voice enabled application, with voice capability that does not come close to even a standalone Dot, let alone the server to server integration involved in Sonos Skills.
That said, Sonos still has egg on its face here for breach of promise. I don't see why their marketing should be given the benefit of doubt about the need to be truthful.
That said, Sonos still has egg on its face here for breach of promise. I don't see why their marketing should be given the benefit of doubt about the need to be truthful.
Looking at the number of issues reported about Alexa on Sonos One , sonos might have wrote a wrapper around Alexa API . Something that need extensive testing and prone to introduce multiple bugs. A wise implementation is as is and down the line customisation.
A cut/paste of an entire Ryan answer of a little over a month ago, on this subject, and I am NOT quoting out of context:
"It wouldn't likely be immediately when voice becomes available, but soon after. We'd need to test a few things out first."
What is "soon"? For Canada that is launching a month after India, early next month it is early 2018. Per Ryan.
For India where Amazon launched a day short of a month ago? "Soon" - I haven't heard anything more useful that that reply. But "soon" is more than 30 days in the Sonos dictionary, that much we know.
"It wouldn't likely be immediately when voice becomes available, but soon after. We'd need to test a few things out first."
What is "soon"? For Canada that is launching a month after India, early next month it is early 2018. Per Ryan.
For India where Amazon launched a day short of a month ago? "Soon" - I haven't heard anything more useful that that reply. But "soon" is more than 30 days in the Sonos dictionary, that much we know.
Low priority item in their backlog or lack of respect for early adapters in certain part of the world.
Had I been in this forum before making purchase decision, I wouldn't have been even 1000 miles closer to SONOS.
Had I been in this forum before making purchase decision, I wouldn't have been even 1000 miles closer to SONOS.
What would you have bought in preference if you were to buy again today that would give you more than what Sonos does now?
I do have a Dot working with a Bose Soundlink Mini in one bedroom via BT, in addition to the play 1 speaker that was always there. There are still many things that the play 1 can do that the Dot+Bose cannot, that I would therefore never exchange for the play 1. And the 1 sounds better.
Hopefully, the Bose can soon revert to purely travel use, once Sonos gets its act together...Soon..
Hopefully, the Bose can soon revert to purely travel use, once Sonos gets its act together...Soon..
It is 2 month since iPhone 8 public release till now truplay tuning for iPhone 8 is not supported.
I do not have any expectation on this company, seems it is heading the same route of blackberry and Nokia.
https://en.community.sonos.com/controllers-software-228995/ios-11-and-trueplay-6790909
I do not have any expectation on this company, seems it is heading the same route of blackberry and Nokia.
https://en.community.sonos.com/controllers-software-228995/ios-11-and-trueplay-6790909
That is a global issue on the one hand, and not a daily faced shortcoming on the other. But it does point to Sonos not having adequate resources to support both the marketing claims it makes for itself and for what isn't publicly stated - its global aspirations.
One can only hope that the present CEO, that is ex RIM/Blackberry, has brought over the correct lessons learnt - that will NOT take Sonos down that path.
Ryan: One month since Alexa/Echo were launched in India and no signs of Sonos Skills. Will it be sooner than the early 2018 promised for the later in the queue Canada? Will it be later? Only her hairdresser knows for sure...
One can only hope that the present CEO, that is ex RIM/Blackberry, has brought over the correct lessons learnt - that will NOT take Sonos down that path.
Ryan: One month since Alexa/Echo were launched in India and no signs of Sonos Skills. Will it be sooner than the early 2018 promised for the later in the queue Canada? Will it be later? Only her hairdresser knows for sure...
No responses for more than a couple of days - 10 actually - from Sonos to questions posed here in that time. Will the Community Managers charged with ensuring responses do the necessary please?
Looks like vacation season already started in Sonos. No response, no app update no commitment. Voice service " Not available in your country" Its a month and 5 days since amazon started alexa in india, these guys still sleeping. Looks like some major issues within this team
As VijayS guessed, I did have a few days off. We don't have a public timeline to share regarding Alexa support for Sonos in India right now. As soon as one can be made available, I'll let you know.
Ryan, much more useful will be making these skills available in line with the EXISTING commitment made by Sonos that is there even today on this site. As of now Sonos is in breach of promise.
And if Sonos works in similar manner to US corporations I am familiar with, in another ten days it will effectively be curtains on 2017.
Very disappointing state of affairs, the Alexa integration, unless one's world consists of just the oyster that is US/UK/Germany.
And if Sonos works in similar manner to US corporations I am familiar with, in another ten days it will effectively be curtains on 2017.
Very disappointing state of affairs, the Alexa integration, unless one's world consists of just the oyster that is US/UK/Germany.
Let me ask another question: in India, the only music service that Alexa will work on in the near future is Amazon Prime. For the India integration to be useful in a meaningful way, Amazon Prime will also have to be addable to Music services in Sonos. So will that ability be in place when the skills are released, or will that be another indeterminate wait after that release?
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