Forced Updates

I fully agree. You are constantly nagged to update your apps and the equipment. Whenever you come back to one of your places you can never just turn on music - you have to wait several minutes to turn on music. IT IS SUCH A PAIN. And there is actually nothing new or useful. I bought Sonos to play my own libraries and now Spotify and radio. I don't need other features and what other features is there really ? The new GUI is just confusing and no improvement at all. Come on Sonos. It is not user friendly with all those updates.

If you turn off auto updates in settings you will only be forced if adding new equipment.

Chris wrote:

If you turn off auto updates in settings you will only be forced if adding new equipment.

That's not true. After a while an out of date app will not do anything until it's updated.

Robótico wrote:

Chris wrote:

If you turn off auto updates in settings you will only be forced if adding new equipment.

That's not true. After a while an out of date app will not do anything until it's updated.

Yes, but if it's the frequency of updates the OP is bothered about then that will minimise them. If the OP doesnt ever want to update his equipment ever again then he might want to think about buying something that doesnt require an app (FM radio, turntable, gramaphone etc..).

That would be 1-2 years before ever had issue where needed forced update.

Robótico wrote:

Chris wrote:

If you turn off auto updates in settings you will only be forced if adding new equipment.

That's not true. After a while an out of date app will not do anything until it's updated.

It is absolutely true. Turn off update alerts and turn off auto updates on the mobile devices and you never have to update again. Of course, eventually services will be rendered useless due to API changes, but there are users who still ran 4.0 as recently as last year. The key is to run the same version on both hardware and apps.

Then just make sure you don't accidentally manually update the app either... that "Update All" link/button can do you in then if you have lots of other apps that need to be updated!

And as Chris mentioned, the purchase of a new speaker may also then require you to update.

This is a lesson to all of us about hardware-software lock-in, unfortunately. If you contact your AG you can probably get a refund pretty quickly unlike customers with older (but was working perfectly) hardware.

SonosFails wrote:

Sonos forced updates. I do not want updates. I bought the equipment, It is mine to use. I should not be forced to update the software, especially with such poor reviews of of the current software. I have contacted Sonos customer service with no resolution other than I must update. I will sell my Sonos equipment before I am forced to update and move to another platform, probably bluetooth. If I do not get a satisfactory resolution I will contact the Attorney Generals Office for Consumer Protection in my state regarding this issue. Do away with the forced updates or give me a refund on my equipment.

Hmmmmm, I've thought of replacing everything, and the Denon system looks really good, but I had not thought about contacting consumer affairs. Brilliant! I'm as fed up as you are and I share your every sentiment.

Chris wrote:

If you turn off auto updates in settings you will only be forced if adding new equipment.

This should not be the case. This has caused me the most problems in the past.

If I bring a new controller onto the network, or if one accidentally connects to my network, it updates all the speakers. And there is no way that i know of to go back. Same with adding a speaker --- unless I firewall it, it will see an update and then won't join the network unless I let it update. Now I have to update EVERYTHING.

I don't have time for this. I. Just. don't. have. time. for. this.

It should not be this way. It's my gear. If I want to keep from updating to a new version of code, for any reason, that is my right. It's my equipment and it's my network. The way Sonos does updates causes more problems than it solves.

I have beta tested Sonos in the past and so have had to install many more updates than usual of beta quality software. Not one has ever caused the problems you have listed. The same is true for millions of others. I'm not sure you are correct in your blame for Sonos, given the vast majority have no problems, and the outliers who do and decide to troubleshoot their network instead of blaming Sonos are usually solved quite quickly and have no more problems.

Selling Sonos and moving to another brand may do the trick, if only for the fact that if the trouble follows, it just may convince you your network needs fixing. Then again, you seem like the sort to deny even that amount of plain evidence.

gadfly_hatesthis wrote:

I don't have time for this. I. Just. don't. have. time. for. this.

You'll save time by typing your sentences just once and with less full stops

jacob7 - how does your sarcasm help the guy? Stick to the topic and stop sticking your knife in. Nothing nice to say? No solution? Fine; just remain silent.

Jgatie - outliers.......there's about three years worth of these on the forum. So, not outliers. They have a genuine issue of which Sonos isn't supporting. If users want to use old firmware, old software versions then let them. There are still millions using Win8 and WinXP becuase the hardware won't work with updates. Give ppl a choice is what they are saying. Why can't you just see that. :?

I'm running an old iOS version right now. I'm asked if I want to update and given a choice. I choose not to. I eventually will, just not yet. That's the sort of support these ppl are asking for - not to be boxed into a corner.

There are millions of Sonos users worldwide. Out of those millions, a couple dozen have network problems that are exposed by the update procedure. A couple dozen out of millions is the very definition of outliers.

jgatie wrote:

Robótico wrote:

Chris wrote:

If you turn off auto updates in settings you will only be forced if adding new equipment.

That's not true. After a while an out of date app will not do anything until it's updated.

It is absolutely true. Turn off update alerts and turn off auto updates on the mobile devices and you never have to update again. Of course, eventually services will be rendered useless due to API changes, but there are users who still ran 4.0 as recently as last year. The key is to run the same version on both hardware and apps.

That's BULLS@#!. Doesn't work. I'm pretty tech savvy - looked everywhere to disable updates, yet still get them everytime i open the app.

Using Sonos, during setup, I believe we agree to terms of use, privacy policy, etc. I don’t know the exact wording, but somewhere in the terms there are statements regarding updates, etc. I’m not an audiophile, so I don’t know the terms. But Sonos aren’t simply “speakers”; they’re complex and just like a computer or iPhone, software updates improve the product. Sonos is an ecosystem of devices that continues to grow and improve upon itself, thus requiring the occasional update. Software updates also have security improvements. Imagine a hacker gaining access to all internet connected devices in your home through your Sonos speakers. Updates make sure that scenario doesn’t happen as well.

I do not want the updates, do not like the updates, do not trust the updates. These pages are filled with problems after the updates. Why and How should Sonos be allowed to PREVENT me from being able to use MY equipment that I paid for for refusing to allow an update????? And it should not matter what it says in the "agreement". So an automobile manufacturer should be able to prevent you from driving your car if you don't update the software? Over several years of the annoying updates, not one has been beneficial to me. I just want to hear the music. This is a horrible customer experience. I have not only stopped recommending Sonos to friends, I make sure they know about being held hostage by Sonos so they do not make the same mistake I did and buy Sonos. Whenever I am in a store I make sure to tell the sales people about my dissatisfaction so that they can advise other potential customers to buy another brand. This corporate behavior is just reprehensible.

I'm sorry you feel that way. Maybe Sonos just isn't the right system for you. And it's not that Sonos is intentionally preventing you from using your products, it's just eventually the older software isn't compatible with their system. I've had a great experience with Sonos, and hope they can gain your trust. And cars aren't at that point now, but they will be eventually. I believe Teslas require you to update the software at certain points, but I don't know if that's fact. I have a "smart home" and many things (even my washing machine) update themselves automatically. The only thing these updates have ever done is fix any issues I might have been experiencing. Such as my thermostat not turning my dehumidifier on, my lights not turning on at their scheduled times etc. Your system will run much smoother if you update, Sonos is not out to get you; trust me, just update and then tell me you still don't believe updates are a good thing 😃