Question

Is Alexa going to be added to older speakers in the future ?

  • 21 October 2017
  • 11 replies
  • 494 views

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I’d like to know if all of a sudden my existing speaker is going to be starting to listen to what is said in the house . Please confirm if Alexa or similar is going to be included in an update to existing speakers as I’ll be unplugging them and will sell or bin . Sadly I’ll have to look for another speaker system . I would like to see a statement from sonos that confirms this . Some people are happy to have everything they say be used by companies like amazon to help them advertise the right products to you or what ever else they want to use the Info for .

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11 replies

Userlevel 7
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Only the newer PLAY:5 has internal microphones. No-one has ever really said why they were put in there, but they are not far field mics, so are the wrong type.
You do not have anything to worry about......................................................currently 😉
Sonos cannot do this by a software update. There already is a statement and it is called the privacy policy. The new Sonos One has a light that indicates when it is listening. Or just don't buy one. You have nothing to worry about full stop.
Yes, Sonos is going to magically add microphones where they currently do not exist in order to listen to your mutterings. Hardware is going to spontaneously generate from nothing, violating the laws of physics, and Alexa is going to remove herself from the cloud and embed into your ZP100. Beware the great far-field menace, tin-foil hats and auto-Sade in the boudoir for all! Smash your Sonos! You have nothing to lose but your first world luxury wireless streaming system. POWER TO THE PEOPLE!
Yes, Sonos is going to magically add microphones where they currently do not exist in order to listen to your mutterings. Hardware is going to spontaneously generate from nothing, violating the laws of physics, and Alexa is going to remove herself from the cloud and embed into your ZP100. Beware the great far-field menace, tin-foil hats and auto-Sade in the boudoir for all! Smash your Sonos! You have nothing to lose but your first world luxury wireless streaming system. POWER TO THE PEOPLE!I have to admit I was tempted....... clearly I have more self-restraint than you 🙂
Yeah, I get that a lot. 😉
Userlevel 7
Badge +26
Hey Rob,

I'll give you an official Sonos announcement that echoes the others here too. You can use Alexa to control all Sonos players today, but only if you have an Alexa enabled device to pick up your voice. The only Sonos player with the capabilities to do this is the brand new Sonos One. No other Sonos player has microphones capable of doing this.

Though the PLAY:5 Gen2 launched with a couple microphones, they aren't suitable for voice control, and to this day have never been enabled. We'll let everyone know before they do get turned on, if we ever do have a use for them to do so. And you'll have the option to not use them.

The Sonos One has an LED linked with the microphone that cannot be worked around. If the microphones are getting power, that LED is turned on. If we bring out new players in the future also with the same voice features, you can expect to see this same LED privacy feature in them.
Userlevel 4
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I cannot believe I'm actually reading a question like this!! This HAS to be a joke.
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Hey Rob,

I'll give you an official Sonos announcement that echoes the others here too. You can use Alexa to control all Sonos players today, but only if you have an Alexa enabled device to pick up your voice. The only Sonos player with the capabilities to do this is the brand new Sonos One. No other Sonos player has microphones capable of doing this.

Though the PLAY:5 Gen2 launched with a couple microphones, they aren't suitable for voice control, and to this day have never been enabled. We'll let everyone know before they do get turned on, if we ever do have a use for them to do so. And you'll have the option to not use them.

The Sonos One has an LED linked with the microphone that cannot be worked around. If the microphones are getting power, that LED is turned on. If we bring out new players in the future also with the same voice features, you can expect to see this same LED privacy feature in them.


Ryan , Thanks for that reply. I know some people want all their products to listen to their every word and send this off to the cloud. That is totally fine for them but I prefer a little privacy . Getting harder with new mobiles etc . System can also have things that are not documented eg a mic for a future use . Network monitoring software normally picks up when hardware components have such agents installed on them but not always . Thanks for taking your time to reply
Userlevel 7
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Ryan , Thanks for that reply. I know some people want all their products to listen to their every word and send this off to the cloud. That is totally fine for them but I prefer a little privacy . Getting harder with new mobiles etc . System can also have things that are not documented eg a mic for a future use . Network monitoring software normally picks up when hardware components have such agents installed on them but not always . Thanks for taking your time to reply

We completely understand, which is why the Sonos One was designed the way it was with the microphone LED behavior. We take privacy seriously and want you to feel safe even if you do have Sonos players in your home that have microphones. You will know when the microphones are on, and have the ability to turn them off easily.
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Ryan , Thanks for that reply. I know some people want all their products to listen to their every word and send this off to the cloud. That is totally fine for them but I prefer a little privacy . Getting harder with new mobiles etc . System can also have things that are not documented eg a mic for a future use . Network monitoring software normally picks up when hardware components have such agents installed on them but not always . Thanks for taking your time to reply

We completely understand, which is why the Sonos One was designed the way it was with the microphone LED behavior. We take privacy seriously and want you to feel safe even if you do have Sonos players in your home that have microphones. You will know when the microphones are on, and have the ability to turn them off easily.


Thanks Ryan ,

If you look back through old new items you will find a big brand tv was still listening even when it’s listening display icon was off or disabled in settings . Same thing happening with two big name mobile companies who are denying it. The news last week that even a s*x toy which was recording what was being said . So far I don’t think many companies who have put this functionality into there systems have been caught recording when it should not . Always put down as bugs in their software when it is highlighted .So if the same is found in sonos one voice control will Patrick Spencer resign ? I expect not

The fun kids are going to have in the future by shouting commands to Alexa through open windows “Alexa play AC/DC at full volume” 🙂. That in the early hours on a hot night could be a laugh.
Userlevel 7
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Those are definitely valid concerns. I can say the Sonos One's hardware is designed in such a way that if the microphone is receiving power, the LED is on. I don't know if that will help ease your mind, but without changes to the hardware, there isn't a way to subvert the LED being on when the microphone is.