Answered
Desktop controller
Anyone know if f the desktop controller will see a significant update any time soon? Compared to all the updates to the app, it seems quite neglected.
Best answer by Alan_6
Some of the desktop "neglect" is great (eg. superior navigation / UX to the iPad, consistent terminology across all screens). Some of the neglect needs work (dated appearance). Most of the desktop app "problems" affect all official Sonos controllers (the queue / play button behaviour inconsistencies, the utter lack of song / tag info). I wish Sonos would start viewing their controllers as a single user experience, regardless of device, and then actually factor that user experience into their design.
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+22many people ask for the desktop controller not to be updated.
I’m surprised. I find it useable, but see lots of room for improvement. It has a lot of wasted space and could benefit from better music organizing tools and queue management features.
+22I wish it had universal search.. Although I mentioned that in thread this morning and another person said no- they liked that it didn't have universal search.
I think as much a people complain about mobile controller changes - they probably felt it wasn't worth the development effort just to have a revolt when they changed it.
I think as much a people complain about mobile controller changes - they probably felt it wasn't worth the development effort just to have a revolt when they changed it.
Long may it remain neglected and remain the friendly comfortable place it remains in contrast to all the cosmetic upheavals and consequent predictable angst that the iOS/Android controllers go through annually, like a rat on treadmill.
+22see
I think it could still be a friendly and comfortable place with the addition of improved options for sorting and grouping albums. I'd rather see sound software management with incremental improvements than have to choose between stasis and rapid cosmetic changes. I suspect a part of the reason it's neglected is that they realize that their customer base is increasingly only on the apps and pushing music through streaming services like Spotify instead of playing their own music.
+22I wish they would bring a similar look to Tablets in landscape mode.
The same programmers that have proved that they can't do steady incremental change in handheld controllers will change their behaviour? I would rather they leave things alone on the Mac. It serves me just fine.
Some of the desktop "neglect" is great (eg. superior navigation / UX to the iPad, consistent terminology across all screens). Some of the neglect needs work (dated appearance). Most of the desktop app "problems" affect all official Sonos controllers (the queue / play button behaviour inconsistencies, the utter lack of song / tag info). I wish Sonos would start viewing their controllers as a single user experience, regardless of device, and then actually factor that user experience into their design.
Don't people that prefer working on a Mac - or any computer for that matter - to a tablet do so because it offers a different and therefore preferred user experience? Should controllers hosted on the two kinds of devices then try to force a single user experience across? Or should each take the fullest advantage of the experience offered by the host that has led to that host being preferred?
Don’t equate a single user experience between platforms with providing the same functionality across those platforms. You can create a unified user experience while tayloring functionality to the strengths of a platform and preferences of its user base. It seems people are more worried about changing the desktop controller because they’re afraid it will be for the worst than because they’re completely satisfied with it as is.
There is a reason for that worry; Sonos has demonstrated over and over that in trying to fix the little things that may be improved, they break all the other things that are working just fine. And in then trying to fix those, they break something else.
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