Bought mine 5 years ago. Now apparently it’s fit for the bin!

you can spend a few more thousand $ for “exchanging” them……...oh….and again in a few years. Absolutely ridiculous, gotta spend time and energy to inform people to NOT buy sonos.

SONOs. I used to be a massive supporter. 
 

I used to tell EVERYONE they should have and use SONOS. 
 

Now I find out you are junking components of my system, in particular a very expensive PLAY5. Why would I purchase more SONOs items when there is a chance you do this again in another few years. 
 

Trust arrives on foot but leaves on a horse  

you have lost a valued customer. 
you have lost a proponent and advocate for SONOS.

i have 12 SONOs items including a playbar and amp. I wish I’d never purchased them as I have lost confidence in the product. 

Goodbye SONOS

Like those who have already replied I have lost complete confidence in this company.

Have 2 Play5’s and a  bridge purchased in late 2017 that shortly will not be able to accept updates ???

I rave positively about Sonos to all my friends...at least up through yesterday.

Why would I ever purchase another piece of hardware with the knowledge that it may or may not

be viable 3 years from now ?     Plus I love filling up landfills with useless electronic junk  !!!!!

Up through yesterday everything about SONOS; ease of use, functionality, sound, spotify and audible connections were fantastic.     Not sure anymore.

JohnJLC

There is more discussion on this topic here:

https://en.community.sonos.com/announcements-228985/end-of-software-updates-for-legacy-products-6835470

Also, your systems will be useful for long after May, they just won’t receive any updates.  They should work just fine until a streaming service decides to change things, which I don’t think happens very often.

As far as a product being viable 3 years from now, it’s not a factor of when you bought so much as when it was released that determines the products age.  The legacy products that no longer receive updates are all much older than 3 years based on release date.  When buying any product that relies on internal firmware, which includes any smart speaker on the market today, it’s wise to consider the product release date.

ok, so, the whole system won’t receive any updates from May on but it SHOULD BE FINE for a while. Then everything could be over instantly depending on updates of the streaming services. Not sure if you are working for Sonos, Danny, but nothing you say makes it better.

I'm shattered, I refused to buy Bose. Now Sonos does this . It's over, cancel everything, streaming music, get rid of Sonos, go back to using my hifi and buy cds.

I’m not shattered, but I’m finally resolved. It’s awfully apparent that literally everything is becoming “subscription” based, including hardware. Planned obsolescence and upgrade mentality has been sold to most consumers as par for the course. I’m as guilty as any in contributing and buying along with the changes. That genuinely needs to end. I ended it with main audio components many years back (old receiver, turntable, speakers that I will *not* upgrade because they are more than sufficient). I ended it with digital cameras in 2013 with a DSLR that is more than adequate for my needs. I ended it too with computing hardware (and software in many cases) which I now use until it will no longer function and physical upgrades are an impossibility.  
I am ending it with Sonos today and intend to leave my system as-is whether it receives future updates or no; if streaming services change in the future, I will address that today by returning once again to building my personal, local streaming music library and physical media. I want out of the cycle. “Good enough” is just that. I need to treat everything like I do my car - if it gets me there, it’s working as intended;  I do not need lane-detection and remote-start. I do not need Apple Airplay 2 and 12v triggering. An installer may; I do not. I’ll not get rid of Sonos - I paid handsomely for it and it’s working for now - but I’ll not be subscribing or using this strangely structured, purchase incentive plan of a sort. Sonos may just as well offer a lease option at this point, since that’s effectively what is already occurring in a hardware product so completely bound to its software and firmware components. Honestly, it isn’t surprising or even unwarranted, but for my part it’s entirely unattractive. Some might disagree and that’s totally cool.

Well said 

Very frustrated as well. They are happy to comment that the Play:5 was launched in 2009, but they were still selling it in shops only a couple of years ago, at least in Australia. 

Surely you cannot sell a product in stores knowing that in just 2 or 3 years a $500 product will be obsolete. 

Sonos should be required to publish when products will be obsolete, considering how expensive a set up is. Would be interested in the legality of this sort of business practice, but I guess they know that no individual will do anything. 

Will definitely stop recommending Sonos. 

Can anyone recommend another wireless sound system that works well?

i agree, I was considering spending a lot on playbars and new speakers - now all on hold until clarity is found which may be never ……..

Time to research alternatives?

Just curious, how often do you replace your phone, either Apple or Android?

Class action lawsuit coming!!!!

sonos as any company cannot get away with this nonsense aggressive marketing strategy!!!!!!!

CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT 

don’t anybody upgrade!!!!hold on 

Phones and computers have always been replaced with improved hardware. Phone in particular are replaced every few years due to batteries failing, again which is known with the technology so it is not a surprise. Speakers have historically never been a part of this type of upgrade cycle, other than when the actual speaker fails.

When will Sonos stop updating there other products like the Sound Bar? 1 or 2 years from now? And what does the upgrade get you? just the ability to play music still? 

Finally, using the analogy of upgrading phones is not a good example, because then you can apply it to every product you own. EG: Imagine your car receives over the air updates (Like a Tesla or something), then you receive an email saying the car will no longer be updated and will need to be replaced. Is you response, that’s ok, because i replace my phone every couple of years? I expect your car to be upgrade when the hardware begins to fail, not because of software. This has historically been the case with speakers...

chickentender is right. Everything is becoming subscription based, and replacement every few years is now the norm. And there is a huge group of people that are happy with this. 

yes, what were we thinking to trust a company that we can use a several thousand $$ music system for a few years!!   :-)

….now the only person advocating  Sonos managed to flag himself as “best answer”….sad, sad

Absolutely gutted. 2 Play 5’a will cost me £700 to ‘upgrade’. This is daylight robbery. 
 

I know you don’t have to upgrade but my system only works well via Google Play. Once this streaming service updates, my whole system will be redundant!!!

also, write a comment on facebook if you have an account, i guess there is some value in preventing other people from making the mistakes

https://www.facebook.com/sonos/posts/10157915219689699?notif_id=1579631838877917&notif_t=feedback_reaction_generic

If this was directed at me….. I was one of the last Blackberry holdouts. ;)

So, I know how to walk the talk. Hahaha.

And even today still use a Blackberry android model (the original KeyOne) and only moved to it because Blackberry 10 OS had been deprecated. A fairly similar scenario really.

Mine are only 4 ½ years old and ready to be bricked according to Sonos. $2500 for the system to last 4 ½ years. SONOS YOU ARE A BUNCH OF ARSEHOLES. Salesman recommend Sonos due to the quality of their product. What’s the point in quality when the company decides to brick them after a few years. Also beware if you are “upgrading” the play 5 that this product if approaching 5 years and will no doubt also be bricked in a couple of years.

So I pay £1500 for 2 Sonos 5’s and a Connect 3 years ago and now they want me to pay £1200 net of the 30% generous discount to keep the items doing what they should...I don’t think so!! Buy a new 5 that is already halfway through its life, no way Jose!!
 

Check out eBay folks my whole system will be on there whilst 2nd hand values are still good (and others are blissfully unaware of SONOS’s strategy).

SONOS have completely abused the trust that their customers put in them. They deserve everything that they get. We need to get this issue in the media worldwide to make people aware of how SONOS are abusing their customers. To expect us to pay out hundreds of pounds to replace products which are only three or four years old is arrogant in the extreme. If you have shares in this company - sell them quickly because they will be worthless very soon.

I read with substantial dismay that SONOS will no longer provide updates for certain equipment. I want to advise SONOS management and community at large how disappointing this announcement is.

I have been a very loyal SONOS customer for at least 8 years and have purchased:

2 SONOS one’s

2 SONOS 5’s 1 generation

2 SONOS 5”s 2 generation

2 SONOS Sound Bars…

1 SONOS Base Unit

Also have purchased three individual sets of SONOS one’s for individual members of my family as gifts.

As you can see I have made a considerable investment in both the company and its equipment.

I find it interesting and disappointing that this announcement happens to coincide with the fact that SONOS is now a publicly traded company on Wall Street. Since SONOS has gone public its share price and not increased and its sales volume has not increased as Wall Street had hoped. Now the NEW strategy will be for SONOS management to create incentives for existing customers to purchase more "NEW" units…..THEREFORE INCREASE SALES VOLUME!  Before SONOS went “PUBLIC” it had an outstanding reputation for quality. Now it looks like GREED MANAGEMENT has taken control of the company…..

II will no longer invest my money in products with a company management that maintains this type of business agenda.

FJM

I absolutely agree. In my view this is fraudulent behavior. The now obsolete units were sold in retail up to only a few ago. People pretty much being blackmailed to replace the units or otherwise their whole system will collapse. Last but not least, which products will be next to be rendered obsolete, f.e Play 3??