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Removal of lock screen and volume control iOS 2023

S

How does Sonos plan to solve the issue of accessing lock screen controls and device hardware button on iOS? Removing that functionality with release 15.6 on July 25, 2023 is a significant impact on the user experience. Our phones are the primary way we control the product so is there a solution other than having to unlock the phone every time we want to control the volume, change a track or turn the system off? Please clarify your plans or provide alternate solutions. Note: I do not use voice controls with my products, so that is not an alternative. Thanks. 

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Best answer by melvimbe 27 July 2023, 16:16

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41 replies

buzz

A solution existed decades ago for old world corporate phone systems. A user would wear an ultrasonic beacon and there were sensors in the rooms. As the beacon moved through the building a call to the user’s extension would ring on the nearby phone.

C
Userlevel 6
Badge +11

Or if using a native App (Apple Music, Spotfiy, BBC Sounds etc) without using voice (OP doesn’t use voice):

  1. Phone rings
  2. Swipe Up, press pause or adjust volume with hard buttons or soft slider
  3. Press phone icon top left and answer call

 

C
Userlevel 6
Badge +11

A solution existed decades ago for old world corporate phone systems. A user would wear an ultrasonic beacon and there were sensors in the rooms. As the beacon moved through the building a call to the user’s extension would ring on the nearby phone.

But they would still have to physically walk back to the volume knob on the PA/Tanoy system in a different room to adjust volume when answering the call 😀

ratty

I’m just saying that the ideal solution here is that audio automatically pauses or mutes when you receive or pick up a phone call.

  1. Phone (or FaceTime) rings
  2. “Hey Sonos, stop!”
  3. Answer call

Simple.

 

OP said voice control wasn’t an option.  

Oh yes. Can’t think why. Sonos Voice Control is entirely local, so no privacy risk.

Airgetlam

Muscle memory is my guess. Just not accustomed to it. 

Bruce
Ken_Griffiths

Also, thanks @Ken_Griffiths for the thought on the widget.  I’ve since learned there is no widget, but found multiple threads asking for it with someone named Corry P. from Sonos saying he would register the feature request and then cheerfully closing the thread.

Just to add that an iOS ‘widget’ does exist to control Sonos from the Home Screen (which is available from the Lock Screen by sliding left to right) - it’s a 3rd party iOS widget, as mentioned in my post. In fact it is shown in a screenshot attached to my earlier post, but just to add I’m not affiliated to the ‘widget’ and I’ve chosen not to name it, as it didn’t seem right to promote it here in the Sonos community… a search of the iOS App Store should lead you to it.

Sonos have not mentioned any plans to make their own widget, as far as I’m aware, but I sometimes find it a quick way to control playing speakers/groups without having to unlock the mobile device. That said, I personally mostly use voice assistants, or the speaker hardware buttons, to adjust volume/play/pause etc. anyway, rather than reaching for a mobile or tablet.

melvimbe

I’m just saying that the ideal solution here is that audio automatically pauses or mutes when you receive or pick up a phone call.

  1. Phone (or FaceTime) rings
  2. “Hey Sonos, stop!”
  3. Answer call

Simple.

 

OP said voice control wasn’t an option.  

Oh yes. Can’t think why. Sonos Voice Control is entirely local, so no privacy risk.

 

OP said only 1 of 8 speakers has SVC.

Danny
ratty

I’m just saying that the ideal solution here is that audio automatically pauses or mutes when you receive or pick up a phone call.

  1. Phone (or FaceTime) rings
  2. “Hey Sonos, stop!”
  3. Answer call

Simple.

 

OP said voice control wasn’t an option.  

Oh yes. Can’t think why. Sonos Voice Control is entirely local, so no privacy risk.

 

OP said only 1 of 8 speakers has SVC.

Right. I should have RTFT. 

BTW the IKEA remotes do control the group volume. 

buzz

A solution existed decades ago for old world corporate phone systems. A user would wear an ultrasonic beacon and there were sensors in the rooms. As the beacon moved through the building a call to the user’s extension would ring on the nearby phone.

But they would still have to physically walk back to the volume knob on the PA/Tanoy system in a different room to adjust volume when answering the call 😀

Back then, sure. Today, a SONOS speaker could be aware of the beacon and know exactly which room to mute. Passive speakers would be more of an issue, but a simple accessory could detect the beacon. It would even be possible to have the mute follow the beacon from room to room during a call.

R
Userlevel 2
Badge

So I tried craigski’s solution of using the native app — and used AirPlay to stream the music from an iPhone to my Sonos devices. Works just like a champ and the native app is better for navigating the music source and has the Lock Screen controls that work just fine. So the native apps have figured out how to make the functionality work - where Sonos got rid of it. 

ratty

So the native apps have figured out how to make the functionality work - where Sonos got rid of it. 

As has been pointed out countless times, this is comparing apples with oranges.

The native apps are local media players.

The Sonos app is a remote control for the speakers, and never touches the actual audio stream. 

S

Just the latest company to decide to change their support after selling a bunch expensive tech to consumers.  Only way to deal with this and put pressure on a company is for everyone to vote with their money and make Sonos feel it where it hurts… Sell it all second hand to people that still want Sonos gear (presumably android owners for now) so the company doesn’t make that money on sales of new equipment, then upgrade everything to the latest and greatest option that is still interested in offering decent ongoing support - until they in turn inevitably begin to prioritize profits over product support and customer experience.

106rallye
Userlevel 7
Badge +17

Sell your phone too. You’re punishing Sonos for something caused by Apple.

buzz

I had to recycle a perfectly functional cellphone because the cell towers stopped supporting it.

C

My iPhone volume control buttons work on Lock Screen now. Did Sonos change this recently?

Airgetlam

It should be working for applications that stream via AirPlay 2 or Bluetooth , but not for the Sonos application, which isn’t a media player, but a remote control to a media player that exists on an outside device. 

Bruce
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