New App Upgrade - HORRID
The new interface is nearly impossible to use... it doesn't even make sense how it works in relation to the previous interface which was better than good enough. As someone that has thousands of dollars invested in sonos I have to voice my utter disgust for this new app. PLs comment below and lets get Sonos to roll back from this atrocious attempt at an upgrade.
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Userlevel 1
I concur with pretty much everyone who has complained about the latest 'upgrade'. It is less intuitive, difficult to find what you want and about as unfriendly as you could make it - in fact it is just plain HORRIBLE.
Come on Sonos, let us roll back to the previous version while you work on a replacement - but whatever you do, DON'T let the guy who designed this one loose on it !
Come on Sonos, let us roll back to the previous version while you work on a replacement - but whatever you do, DON'T let the guy who designed this one loose on it !
This app update is like the perfect social experiment. It shows that many times form wins over substance.
In essence the controller functionality has remained largely unchanged. A change in layout and arrangement has caused complete meltdown among many users.
Wow.
In essence the controller functionality has remained largely unchanged. A change in layout and arrangement has caused complete meltdown among many users.
Wow.
In essence the controller functionality has remained largely unchanged. A change in layout and arrangement has caused complete meltdown among many users.
Wow.
Yes, the functionality is basically unchanged from two years ago. But consider: two years ago navigating to an album/playlist/song and hitting "play" just worked as you expected, now we get our Sonos systems to perform by learning the vast differences between hitting "play all", "play now" and "play next". Two months ago (or today via desktop app, because "consistent user experience") we just hit "favourites" to get to our favourites, now we visit the many "My Sonos" sub-screens to achieve the same thing, and remember that "artists" are now called "others". And Sonos flat out refuse to address these issues. I can't think why anyone could be annoyed at the state of the Sonos controller software...
OMG. The new app is just heinous. Clumsy, non-intuitive, awkward. I used to be able to just hand a tablet with the app to friends when they come over and they could easily start using it, finding music from my library, from services, changing playlist, etc. Now I can't even figure out how to do some basic functions without having to hunt all over the place. It isn't just bad, it is horrible. Sonos, listen to what your users are telling you. The new app is a serious problem.
I find it easy. I can get to all the key screens from one of the buttons on the new tab bar. Those screens are are functionally pretty much identical to the previous app. The tab bar needs to be on the Now Playing screen to avoid the need to swipe it down, but I am sure Sonos will fix that.
I applaud your optimism that Sonos will fix things, given their track record over the last 15 months. After all, this week they pushed out a new update... and the "My Sonos" screen is still a total mess...
Ok for all those threatening to not recommend or to switch products because of this.....what are your next options??? Bearing in mind that rational ppl make decisions on balance looking at the merits and demerits across the board. So tell me if not Sonos who???
I applaud your optimism that Sonos will fix things, given their track record over the last 15 months. After all, this week they pushed out a new update... and the "My Sonos" screen is still a total mess...
Totally agree with everybody. I liked the previous version, and it was the first version I liked.
This is probably the worst app I have ever seen. Nothing is intuitive anymore. It takes me minutes to find the most basic options.
Please return to the previous version and improve that.
This is probably the worst app I have ever seen. Nothing is intuitive anymore. It takes me minutes to find the most basic options.
Please return to the previous version and improve that.
Userlevel 1
Come on Sonos, let us roll back to the previous version while you work on a replacement - but whatever you do, DON'T let the guy who designed this one loose on it !
Yes, this is the first time I have actually created a user account for an app so that I could voice my ongoing frustration with the "upgrade." This truly is a downgrade, now matter how much Sonos may want to argue otherwise.
I have invested heavily in the sonos product line over the past three years, without a single regret; music in 6 rooms, playbar, amps abound........but now I am very frustrated.
Another user stated it clearly: a version improvement should NEVER leave existing users in the dark without a smooth transition. That is simply the indication of a poor UI enhancement. And an attitude that says "just learn the new interface" is a poor response to the legions of unhappy users.
Finally, while I understand that many people want the Siri-like experience of using the Amazon puck device, its not for me. I don't want big brother listening/analyzing/cataloging everything my family says. Personal choice. So if this UI change was driven by the Amazon partnership, that is even more dissapointing.
At the very least give those of us who want it a WAY TO ROLL BACK TO THE PREVIOUS VERSION!!!!
LISTEN TO YOUR CUSTOMERS!!
Like most people-except John B-I actually hate this new app and find it takes way more away then it adds. Mostly that it was an unnecessary change for the sake of change.
I have 18 Sonos and will not buy anymore. My wife refuses to use it anymore and friends that used to come over find its not as intuitive to use.
There are always gonna be Sonos apologists but the truth in numbers speaks volumes. I’m sure Sonos will just try to wait this anger and disapointment out from the people that have helped keep the company successful-but they have taken my loyalty for granted on this one if they don’t listen to the masses
I have 18 Sonos and will not buy anymore. My wife refuses to use it anymore and friends that used to come over find its not as intuitive to use.
There are always gonna be Sonos apologists but the truth in numbers speaks volumes. I’m sure Sonos will just try to wait this anger and disapointment out from the people that have helped keep the company successful-but they have taken my loyalty for granted on this one if they don’t listen to the masses
To Our Favorite Sonos Engineers...please listen to all this feedback! Roll back to the last UI....this one is frustrating!! Dramatic move in the wrong direction....but it’s not too late to correct....please roll back....
I have seen this all before. This is not the biggest anti new app protest there has been. The next one will be whenever it goes from v8 to v9. There are some necessary changes and I believe Sonos will make them. But they will have expected this backlash and will ride out the storm. There is absolutely no chance of them going back to the old app.
>But they will have expected this >backlash
Probably not true
>and will ride out the storm
Probably true
Andrew
Probably not true
>and will ride out the storm
Probably true
Andrew
They will, I believe, address the valid criticisms that have been made. How about we come back here in a couple of months and see what has happened and how we feel then?
Look, it's important to distinguish between:
1. Sonos changed how things worked and some people don't like the change (eg. the new different-from-desktop "My Sonos" screen) - change happens in the quest for improvement, and we should be open to this, even if we're not enthusiastic about some of the choices Sonos make
2. Sonos released a broken, poorly-designed or "unfinished" product (eg. the current "My Sonos" implementation, or last year's "ephemeral-by-default-except-when-it's-not" queue changes), and Sonos have a track record of not addressing design flaws - we should absolutely be complaining about this
3. Sonos focus their efforts on shiny new features (eg. voice activiation) and neglect the core product (ability to easily control Sonos with mobile and desktop controllers) - this is a business decision that Sonos have made, but many of us feel that the core product and existing users should be the priority
I doubt it - I think that they genuinely believe that they know how to design a decent UI
Absolutely - they have no other choice, anyway, as they have no regression system in place.
@Alan_6. We will have to agree to disagree on some of this. I don't agree that the new app is 'broken' because I am using it without difficulty. But 'unfinished'.... maybe, in that I think that what we will get in 8.2 or 8.3 or whatever is what we should have got in 8.0. As a result of these flaws, Sonos have managed to make many users believe that the app has changed more fundamentally than it really has.
I suspect that people are making insufficient use of the tab bar, and that a large part of that is Sonos' fault for not making it visible on the Now Playing screen.
On the queue - I didn't want that change either and I argued against it. But it was partly in response to demands from other users. I have adjusted to it.
I suspect that people are making insufficient use of the tab bar, and that a large part of that is Sonos' fault for not making it visible on the Now Playing screen.
On the queue - I didn't want that change either and I argued against it. But it was partly in response to demands from other users. I have adjusted to it.
I suspect that people are making insufficient use of the tab bar, and that a large part of that is Sonos' fault for not making it visible on the Now Playing screen.
On the queue - I didn't want that change either and I argued against it. But it was partly in response to demands from other users. I have adjusted to it.
And just for clarity:
1. The app isn't totally "broken", there are workarounds and alternate methods for the "unfinished" functionality, but some of the changes (specifically the persistent-to-ephemeral queue default) have been in an unrefined/unfinished state for a while, so I'm not expecting things to have improved be version 8.3
2. In case it's not clear, I don't have a problem with the 2016 switch in how the queue worked. But Sonos do. If they had committed to a "you can add to a playing queue all you want, but when it's finished a new one starts" design, things would be fine. But they didn't. The app is littered with "play next" buttons that either shouldn't exist in an expired queue context, or do confusing things. The "play album followed by tracks 2-end of yesterday's listening" button (it's labelled "play now" or "play next", or alternate defaults as you navigate through the mobile app) that does unwelcome inserts, and the many defaults for what happens when you click on a single track (play single track or play to end of album) are bound to confuse new users and lead to a period of learning how to navigate the app.
I've adjusted and learned how to make Sonos do what I need it to do. But I still think their UI/UX is seriously lacking. I'd love to see Sonos defend their design decisions (as opposed to their design aspirations) in a blog post.
Userlevel 2
I think it would be a good idea for sonos to start replying to some messages on here befor we start slandering the products and company in a very public domain like Amazon.
Its not hard to acknowledge they have possibly made a few errors and they will fix it soon.
I think, give them a week then slate them. See how the sales plummet.
They might start listening when it hits there pockets. just a thought.
Its not hard to acknowledge they have possibly made a few errors and they will fix it soon.
I think, give them a week then slate them. See how the sales plummet.
They might start listening when it hits there pockets. just a thought.
Thanks for responses and guidance which you all helped me get back to functionality I feared I had lost, but fortunately not. Shame on Sonos for:
1) Changing the layout of navigation so that we had to spend an hour on the support site just to recreate our way to used Sonos before we tapped the "upgrade" button. Hide-and-go-seek is the height of user insensitivity. Why not educate us about the changes coincidental to delivering them?
2) Sonos should be an open platform to play ANYTHING we want to hear through Sonos speakers. The new interface pushes we users to PAID STREAMING SERVICES by the page layout. If we want something else, like my access to Tune-in Radio, there is no easily identified path, or way to save. The site should highlight equal access to user desired content and music/radio services, not file something out of sight in the hard-to-find Browse icon.
For a company that understands the subtlety of sounds coming so beautifully out of their products, it is a disappointment to learn the user experience of those who pay a premium for quality are ignored.
1) Changing the layout of navigation so that we had to spend an hour on the support site just to recreate our way to used Sonos before we tapped the "upgrade" button. Hide-and-go-seek is the height of user insensitivity. Why not educate us about the changes coincidental to delivering them?
2) Sonos should be an open platform to play ANYTHING we want to hear through Sonos speakers. The new interface pushes we users to PAID STREAMING SERVICES by the page layout. If we want something else, like my access to Tune-in Radio, there is no easily identified path, or way to save. The site should highlight equal access to user desired content and music/radio services, not file something out of sight in the hard-to-find Browse icon.
For a company that understands the subtlety of sounds coming so beautifully out of their products, it is a disappointment to learn the user experience of those who pay a premium for quality are ignored.
Userlevel 7
+20
1) Changing the layout of navigation so that we had to spend an hour on the support site just to recreate our way to used Sonos before we tapped the "upgrade" button. Hide-and-go-seek is the height of user insensitivity. Why not educate us about the changes coincidental to delivering them?
2) Sonos should be an open platform to play ANYTHING we want to hear through Sonos speakers. The new interface pushes we users to PAID STREAMING SERVICES by the page layout. If we want something else, like my access to Tune-in Radio, there is no easily identified path, or way to save. The site should highlight equal access to user desired content and music/radio services, not file something out of sight in the hard-to-find Browse icon.
For a company that understands the subtlety of sounds coming so beautifully out of their products, it is a disappointment to learn the user experience of those who pay a premium for quality are ignored.
What total nonsense.
1) Changing the layout of navigation so that we had to spend an hour on the support site just to recreate our way to used Sonos before we tapped the "upgrade" button. Hide-and-go-seek is the height of user insensitivity. Why not educate us about the changes coincidental to delivering them?
2) Sonos should be an open platform to play ANYTHING we want to hear through Sonos speakers. The new interface pushes we users to PAID STREAMING SERVICES by the page layout. If we want something else, like my access to Tune-in Radio, there is no easily identified path, or way to save. The site should highlight equal access to user desired content and music/radio services, not file something out of sight in the hard-to-find Browse icon.
For a company that understands the subtlety of sounds coming so beautifully out of their products, it is a disappointment to learn the user experience of those who pay a premium for quality are ignored.
You have only posted this post. How exactly has anyone tried (and subsequently failed) to help you "get back to functionality" when you never even described what was lost before this post? :?
It is indeed nonsense. The Browse button is on the new tab bar, which is the key navigation tool. It is, in effect, 'browse sources' and lists them exactly as they were on the old main menu, with local sources at the top of the list
Not to mention you can add any of your own content to Favorites or construct playlists from local content and have them all prominently display on My Sonos.
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