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Why is Sonos lacking the Chromecast functionality, which basically every 100€ WiFi speaker has. It makes it impossible to use YouTube music ( you have to open the Sonos controller and control it from there instead of just pressing the cast button) and it makes using the Google Assistant unnecessarily cumbersome. You have to specify the speaker after a voice command instead of being able to simply set Sonos as a default speaker. That not enough, it also makes it impossible to cast all audio to Sonos. Sonos always talks about being open and support all platforms, yet after waiting a year longer than Airplay 2 users (which got supported as soon as the service got released), we get a shitty, half-assed service lacking basic functionality. Sonos basically incentivizes people to switch to Google Home Max et al, to use get the full capability from the services.
sonos speakers don't have chromecast hardware and software built in them.

A Software version is possible only if google allows and develops it.
sonos speakers don't have chromecast hardware and software built in them.

A Software version is possible only if google allows it .

Chromecast casting can be implemented on a software level, as you correctly said. I can see no reason why Google would allow casting via the Sonos API (the voice control) but not the Chromecast functionality.

But again we won't get a reply from Sonos about this...
you can request this feature here on sonos and also you need to request it on google's forums

sonos does not give out its timeline so keep looking at the announcement section on this forum
Actually Google is very restrictive about licensing Chromecast functionality in other devices. Way back at the beginning the Chromecast was based on an open casting protocol called DIAL, and there were a bunch of 3rd-party apps created to emulate Chromecast capability. When the Chromecast became a success, Google quickly moved to make their protocol proprietary and then they aggressively went after anyone attempting to emulate it and shut them down.



So I'm not at all surprised that Sonos doesn't have Chromecast capability. I'm sure Google wants a lot of extra money to license it.
Let’s face it: the only sure way to ensure that you get all GA functionality throughout its lifecycle is to buy a Google speaker. The same applies for Alexa and Amazon speakers.



Sonos could spend a fortune trying to implement all voice commands, but they will always be playing catch-up unless Google and Amazon share the “next” release of their product to Sonos several months before releasing it to the public, and I don’t see that happening.
Actually Google is very restrictive about licensing Chromecast functionality in other devices. Way back at the beginning the Chromecast was based on an open casting protocol called DIAL, and there were a bunch of 3rd-party apps created to emulate Chromecast capability. When the Chromecast became a success, Google quickly moved to make their protocol proprietary and then they aggressively went after anyone attempting to emulate it and shut them down.



So I'm not at all surprised that Sonos doesn't have Chromecast capability. I'm sure Google wants a lot of extra money to license it.

I don't really care how much Sonos would have to pay, and honestly I doubt it is much. JBL and other offer it for far cheaper speakers! And additionally to that, I doubt Airplay 2 is free.
Ok. So i have a date.. or a friend who visits.. she comes over. She wants to play something on sonos surround setup. She opens Spotify on her android phone... She can't cast, i don't use Spotify because i use GPM. so i sign up for a free account but cannot access her profile via the sonos app because that feature is restricted for premium (paying) Spotify customers.



And that's it. Game over. Nice sound but it's useless.

U telling me Sonos is ignoring this problem??
Just add her Spotify premium account to your Sonos system? Then she can play all her Spotify content whenever she comes round.
Couldn’t you achieve this and emulate the functionality by adding and attaching a Chromecast Audio device to the input audio of a Sonos Play:5 speaker or Sonos Amp?



If you don’t already have one of these Sonos units though, it would obviously be an expensive addition buying one just to add Chromecast Audio functionality.
Expensive yes, but also quite difficult now that the Chromecast audio devices are discontinued 😞
If you have a Sonos speaker (ie Beam) hooked up to your TV then you should theoretically be able to hook up a Google Chromecast (which is still available to buy) to your TV and stream the music to it, relaying it through the TV to the speaker and then sending it to other speakers throughout the house.



I’m achieving the same thing with a turntable right now which is hooked up to my TV, relaying the audio to my Sonos Beam and then sending it to other speakers in my house.



So no need for a more expensive Sonos Play:5 or Sonos Amp at all.
Yeah, well, I just got in Sono with Ikea's Symfonisk... To be honest, I'm not close to buying extra hardware or doing complex setup for the sake of a functionality I have with less expensive speakers.



The Symfonisk sounds incredible, it's just weird we can connect to the Assistant but not as a Cast device when AirPlay2 is ok out of the box. We'll just have to wait and hope for Cast!
God damn it. I wish I saw this thread before I invested in Sonos.



It’s frustrating as hell that I cannot cast anything to my Sonos. My dingie little Sony speaker can be cast and airplay. What sort of joke is Sonos playing on us?



It’s basically a useless ecosystem when you’re forced into the Sonos app which relies on integration services.



Yes, Sonos fanboys please down vote this post I’ve seen how you’ve all attacked legit feedback from owners who are not happy with the way Sonos is prioritizing their software development. This is a software product prioritization. Chromecast is as open as it can be. It is not Apple AirPlay.
God damn it. I wish I saw this thread before I invested in Sonos.



It’s frustrating as hell that I cannot cast anything to my Sonos. My dingie little Sony speaker can be cast and airplay. What sort of joke is Sonos playing on us?



It’s basically a useless ecosystem when you’re forced into the Sonos app which relies on integration services.



Yes, Sonos fanboys please down vote this post I’ve seen how you’ve all attacked legit feedback from owners who are not happy with the way Sonos is prioritizing their software development. This is a software product prioritization. Chromecast is as open as it can be. It is not Apple AirPlay.



@Foofoo: I completely agree. I have 2 Play:3s, a Soundbar, and 2 Play:1s. But I listen to podcasts, etc. on my Google Home Minis because Sonos is so freakin' inconvenient. I'm ready to dump the Sonos gear.
Couldn’t you achieve this and emulate the functionality by adding and attaching a Chromecast Audio device to the input audio of a Sonos Play:5 speaker or Sonos Amp?



If you don’t already have one of these Sonos units though, it would obviously be an expensive addition buying one just to add Chromecast Audio functionality.



I bought Play:5 because of this imagination.



Unfortunately, I found it is not a good idea. The line-in functionality will be disabled after the Play:5 is connected as a surrounding.
Agreed. I waited forever to buy Sonos need on the premise it was adding Google. And then we only get a partial add. I would have gladly bought the Google speakers instead. I want to be able to walk into my house and cast whatever I've been listening to on headphones to my speakers. Can't do it. Sucks for podcast continuity. Don't buy this product.
This is my first Sonos system and probably will be my last one....

The fact that you cannot cast audio via any mean (Bluetooth/Wireless) makes it an one trick pony, and an inconvenience one as well.

Yeah sure it sounds fine, but if it cannot play the music I want (Some of them isn't available on all kinds of media services, others are not in regular audio format, like videos or streams etc), then it's practically useless.

Guess I'll have to look into other solutions.
Seems like there are a number of people in this thread getting angry at Sonos because they themselves spent hundreds of dollars without doing any research to see if the speakers they were about to buy met their needs, instead making a lot of assumptions. Do you often spend large quantities of money without asking questions or doing any research on what you're buying first? This anger is misdirected.
Seems like there are a number of people in this thread getting angry at Sonos because they themselves spent hundreds of dollars without doing any research to see if the speakers they were about to buy met their needs, instead making a lot of assumptions. Do you often spend large quantities of money without asking questions or doing any research on what you're buying first? This anger is misdirected.



You are not suppose to expect some expensive equipment to be missing the most basic functionalities, for this price range at this age of the time - expecially when the product claim to be wireless.



I should also probably remarked its not until the product is in my hand for a few days I've noticed its really inconvenient to use. I was really impressed with sonos one at first, as you know, this is a good product, for what it was designed for. However its turns out the design flaw was huge. Cannot return it because its I bought it in a bundle, amd this is sort of a side gift/reward.



If you excuse the inconvinece of your product as user fault, then clearly you have some marketing research issues.



Expecially this can be easily implimeneted into a system 🙂 A line in, or proper bluetooth receiver would solve all the problems above, yet its missing it.



The only way i can going forward is to get a sonos connect or amp, then add a raspberry pi, get hdmi input card, plug my dec into it to get RCA/Optical audio signal out.



Wihch I can easily do these, in fact. I have all these equipments avaliable at my hand except fot the amp or connect.



which, well, sorry, I am just not going to do it. I am not going to fix the silly decision they've made. Going for a Google Max will be a far wise idea.
I have to agree that the Sonos One is the most disappointing tech I have ever purchased.



I bought it early doors on the promise of Google Assistant compatibility. After 12+ months of Airplay failing to work 70% of the time and using the more reliable (but very un-user-friendly Sonos app) a half-hearted implementation of GA arrives...



The microphone fails to pick up commands more often than not, I regularly get the message from my Sonos One that my Sonos One is not available (?!) and obviously chromecast does not work.



My £30 Google Home performs way, way better than this, if only it sounded as good... Google Max here I come.
My delema is a bit different in that I'm super keen to get a projector set up. To make it wireless I'd want to stream to my system and not run cable. I know I could run apple tv but then I'd miss out on being able to game on the Xbox or play other content through it with sound. I knew this was a drama to begin with but believed once the rollout of Google Assistant came out the living would be easy.



Even though Sonos rarely responds on this forum I am sure they are aware how much this puts people out. I wonder if it is part of the contract for Airplay2 capabilities....

Sonos do appear more active in replying on their Facebook page but have deleted respectful comments I have made about this on their adverts.
The only reason, so far, that I joined this community is because Sonos support advised that I should let my voice be known among others in the community for this request. I'm ready to pull the trigger on two Sonos Ones and eventually the Beam and subwoofer once I hear an announcement that Sonos will integrate Chromecast built-in functionality in a future update.
Disappointing that Sonos doesn't work with Chromecast. Will take my business elsewhere until it's implemented.
Just bought a few Symfonisk speakers and disappointed to find they are gimped for Android users - why on earth would Sonos not support Chromecast? My 5 year old LG MusicFlow speakers have more functionality!



Sonos - please PLEASE support Chromecast on your speakers. IOS users are taken care of with Airplay, please also look after Android users with Chromecast too!
Also would like chromecast. Line in is super clunky, your app is pathetic. The convenience of chromecast cast is a must really in 2019.
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