Sonos One alternate Alexa "wake word" change

In over 10 years of Sonos use, with 13 Devices currently in the house, this is the first time I've ever been disappointed with a new product. I've just put a One in a bathroom, and turns out I have no choice just mute the mic until this is sorted - shame on my for assuming the capability would be the same as the Amazon devices.

"Alexa" is totally untenable for me on account of having an Alexa already living in the house. I've been using Echo dots for a while and use "echo" as the wake word.

Total Charlie Foxtrot. Basic functionality. Useless without it. I have an Echo which sounds like, well an echo and I want this thing sitting there in the same room also and it has to use something other than Alexa which others in household already use and are not giving up. This is the second time I've ventured into Sonos land and only because of Echo functionality and just like the first time it miserable to configure and doesn't do the basics. Sayonara Sonos.

Amazon requires third party devices to use only the Alexa wake word. The Ecobee4 thermostat has the same issue and users are unhappy about not being able to change the thermostat's wake word. Ecobee has stated Amazon prevents them from adding the wake word change ability that Amazon devices have. It's a competitive issue with Amazon and is unlikely to change.

> 2.1. Your product SHALL only use Alexa as the wake word.
https://developer.amazon.com/docs/alexa-voice-service/functional-requirements.html


One can only assume that the Functional Requirements Document has been changed recently, as that link now reads:

2.1. Your product SHALL only use approved Amazon Alexa wake words, such as “Alexa”.

Obviously the approved alexa wake words are the same as the ones that are used by the Echo system so far, which are Alexa, Echo, Amazon and Computer.

Seems like there is nothing in that document that prevents Sonos from using any of the wake words I have mentioned, although it would prevent them from using 'Sonos' as a wake word.

In for updates. Alexa wake word is a non starter for us. So until Amazon and Sonos figure this out we will disable Alexa AI and have a dumb speaker. Disappointing.

+1 on everything said above

Not sure building in Alexa in a compromised way is the right step for Sonos users, when including a headphone jack would provide full dot functionality

I also have this issue, living in a household with two Alexs, adding Alexa doesn't really work out very well. To get around this our other dots all use the wake word Echo. Unfortunately I bring disappointing news for everyone here. It's a limitation of the Amazon Web Service that Sonos use to provide "Alexa" support, and not something Sonos can resolve on their own.

The service is called Alexa Voice Service (AVS), theres a technical post about it on the AWS developer blog: https://developer.amazon.com/blogs/alexa/post/865c3b71-a592-492a-89bb-4e0850e60b25/sonos-one-brings-enhanced-alexa-music-capabilities-to-customers

I've looked through all the API docs relating to the SDK that Sonos use, as well as various chunks of code on GitHub. For local voice based recognition there is no technical reason another word can't be used. However for cloud based verification of the wake word, and as part of the requirements of using AVS the only wake word that can be used is Alexa.

> 2.1. Your product SHALL only use Alexa as the wake word.
https://developer.amazon.com/docs/alexa-voice-service/functional-requirements.html

The Sonos forum doesn't seem to have any way to link threads in a meaningful way, or have any kind of moderators that collate and close threads. So I'll add these links here rather than post on every old thread:

https://en.community.sonos.com/amazon-alexa-and-sonos-229102/sonos-one-problems-6792649
https://en.community.sonos.com/amazon-alexa-and-sonos-229102/wake-word-change-6797103
https://en.community.sonos.com/amazon-alexa-and-sonos-229102/mic-sensitivity-and-wake-word-6793202
https://en.community.sonos.com/amazon-alexa-and-sonos-229102/sonos-one-alexa-trigger-word-6792663
https://en.community.sonos.com/amazon-alexa-and-sonos-229102/do-we-have-more-wake-words-yet-6794658
https://en.community.sonos.com/amazon-alexa-and-sonos-229102/alexa-chime-alexa-wake-word-alexa-voice-volume-sonos-one-6794355
https://en.community.sonos.com/amazon-alexa-and-sonos-229102/changing-alexa-name-6793042


In a promising development, the requirement now says this:

“2.1. Your product SHALL only use approved Amazon Alexa wake words, such as "Alexa".”

So it sounds like any of the standard wake words should work now! Sonos..... your move?

That looks like it could be a step in the right direction...

We'll have to see if Sonos puts it to use

Pleased but not terribly surprised to see that change. Sonos is not the only company with Alexa-enabled devices getting hit with complaints about this. I do expect will see changes down the road, but then I'm an optimist. 😃

Hi just bought the Sonos One bundle to add to my existing Sonos system. I didn't realize when I ordered it that you couldn't change the trigger word from Alexa, which is a non-starter for our household (Alexa in the family). I contacted Sonos support after I received the devices to check as to whether they expected to address this anytime soon so I could decide whether I wanted to return the two devices or not. Here was their response, as of yesterday -

"It is something we would like to add, but we don't have an ETA on it at this point. As such, we can't 100% guarantee it will happen."

They then suggested that I check back before my return period expires to see if there are any additional updates. I'll let you know if I hear anything more.