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I'm not referring to the capabilities of casting from Play Music, I'm referring to being able to cast from ANY application that supports casting in general. This would also allow pairing of Google Cast devices with Sonos devices, and open up the ecosystem for Sonos to many more apps and services. In addition, the hardware already exists, as the setup process is identical to non-Sonos devices. This would be a huge boon to me, as I'm an all-out Google person and will be switching to Google Cast devices if support isn't added.
They are competing technologies from competing companies.
They are competing technologies from competing companies.



Well, I wouldn't say Chromecast is a full fledged competitor to SonosNet. I've tried a couple of CCA's, and sure won't be getting rid of my Sonos stuff. Chromecast kinda sorta works, but usually takes 3 attempts to get the stream started. Then the app will "forget" it's casting after a while, and I'll have to start up the Chromecast app to stop it. Too much trouble; life's too short. Sonos just works, every time. Well worth the additional cost.
I believe that they are competitive to the extent that they are both wifi audio solutions, and that a single household generally has little to no need for both (with some fringe exceptions).
When you see how many users ask the same question, it's time to not defend Sonos and understand that maybe some users would like to have this integration.

Being premium on spotify to use the cast option is a pain in the ass, only I is premium at home so the others users can't use the functionnalities.

Yesterday I was almost thinking to sell all my sonos in the house and to buy LG speakers who have google cast integration.

Sad to not be able to speak with the brand !
They've added Spotify Connect and seem to have ceded that the future is native App support for streaming services. Seems Chrome cast would be a good fit, assuming google was on board.
I'm hoping google home will be a "mid way house", that could let voice command send music to sonos as well as chromecast stuff.

This would be a big move, as owners could then buy any casting speaker, not just sonos ones.

On the other hand google homes with crappy speakers, could add sonos ones....

In the end open systems may win out avoiding the Audible fiasco..........
Well I think that Sonos should be alarmed with all the speakers that are coming with Chromecast integration and probably will be Google Home compatible, meaning that you will be able to voice command music to any speaker or a group of speakers. Of course Sonos controller and music service integration is beyond Home app but it will be just a matter of time.
I think sonos are watching the voice market very closely, announcing amazon echo first as that has largest market share. I would assume any new API testing would involve google home as well in the US. Hopefully home support will be announced when home is released here in the uk.
Currently I use an old Nexus 7 2013 which I rooted and installed AirAudio on, its not flawless but it works most of the time. I can 'cast' any local audio source to any supported source, whether its Sonos, Chromecast or a Heos (although I cant cast to an Echo but that's Amazon and hopefully Sonos and Alexa will be talking to each other very soon). I can once again listen to Audible on my Play 1 or Play 3, sure I can plug a Chromecast audio into the Line In of the Play 5 as a workaround too but it's 2017, we shouldn't have to do this.
Let me add another vote to this. Fact is that the Native apps will always be better than the Sonos app. The Sonos app still have some use cases e.g. if you want to search for something simultaneously across multiple services, and off course managing the room groupings etc. However, for daily listening the native apps are much better and there is no way that Sonos can keep up with adding the various functionalities that those apps provide, many of which don't support those new feature via APIs.



So rather than forcing a substandard experience on those users who do like native apps, it makes more sense for Sonos to support technologies like Google Cast.



Fact remains though that you had the chance of setting the standard by licensing your own casting technology to others, but you chose not to, which allowed others to upstage you. So rather than wasting your time with a sunk cost fallacy, might as well try a different, more open approach.
I'm perennially disappointed that as I own a Google Chromebook, I cannot send music to my Sonos from Google Play Music and instead have to use my phone. I'm then further disappointed that while I can play Podcasts from my preferred podcast app (PlayerFM) from my phone to my TV (which has a Chromecast) I cannot play them from my phone to my Sonos. Google Cast support would be a wonderful solution.