Forgive me if there is already a thread on this topic. I see the thread regarding how the API update effects the CR100, but I wanted to discuss the new API features, if announced and what that means, as well as speculate on unannounced features. IMO, Sonos has to be awre that many customers are going to be upset with the CR100, so it's safe to assume they believe this API update is an absolutel necessity and/or will make just as many customers happy.



[Please don't use this thread to complain about the lose of CR100 or any other features lost. Other threads for that. Let's just talk about new features]



I got an email from Yonomi describe some of the features.



- Improved stereo pair/surround zone support. What does that mean? The only thing i can come up with is the ability to create or remove a pair/surround setting through API. Perhaps there will be a feature to play audio on a specific speaker in a zone setup without first breaking the speaker out of the pair/surround. I can see where that might be useful, particularly in a voice control scenario.



- Better in-app experience... This bullet seems rather vague, so I am guessing it's summarizing several minor changes.



- ...true multi-zone group support...automatically create groups...you will finally be able to group speakers. So the new API will allow you to groups of zones, I don't exactly get this as I thought it was a feature of the API before, I have a routine in the lutron app that plays music in 3 zones every morning.



- you willno longer be able to able to make text-to-speech announcements, play sound effects, or play sonos playlists. I don't get this one. The speech and effects might be because they are generally created on an external 3rd party server, and sonos is told to a certain url to play audio. Perhaps this a security concern, and sonos wants to restrict access to trusted sources. I don't get restricting sonos playlists though. My guess would be that the API now passes through the Sonos cloud in all cases. Since the Sonos clould does not have the local library indexes, it stands reason that you cannot play any locally stored content or playlist through the API.



So what commonly requested features might also be coming with this API update.



- I don't we will be able to play local library audio through voice control. It does make sesne that sonos playlists are going away, while local content is arriving. This will hopefully be in a future update.



- The Yonomi email states that multi-zone group support is there. Hopefully this will not just be dynamic groups, but named groups.



- If the API always goes through the cloud, then that would mean that sonos app may be able to control your system remotely, not connected to the local wifi. That might also explain the need to add features for pairing/surround.



- This may mean that Sonos is trying to move towards one common API that it maintains. It currently nees to suppurt one for the controller apps, one for 3rd party, and probably one for voice control apps. Moving to one API would allow them to reduce points of failure and add new features faster. But I am guessing.



- If the are moving to one API, that could explain why they are ending CR100 support, if the CR100 can't utilize the new interface. If that is the reason, then that could mean that other older products can support the new API, and thus are safe. Just speculating.



Any other thoughts?