Answered

Sonos iOS Apps volume not working with iPhone volume button

  • 27 July 2023
  • 87 replies
  • 22553 views
R
Userlevel 2
Badge

The Sonos app suddenly not working with the iOS lock screen control and volume button anymore, suspect it happen after the Sonos iOS app updates.

 

So far I had tried:

  1. Restart the iPhone and make sure the iOS and Sonos App having latest version
  2. Reset Sonos app
  3. Reset + uninstall + reinstall app
  4. Off and on Sonos ERA300 and do the above
  5. Research all possible solutions from Google but nothing helps yet :(

 

All of this not working, my app version is 15.6 build 74043110 with iPhone 14 Pro iOS 16.6. Is anyone facing the same issue or this is a known software bug?

icon

Best answer by GuitarSuperstar 27 July 2023, 06:37

View original
This topic has been closed for further comments. You can use the search bar to find a similar topic, or create a new one by clicking Create Topic at the top of the page.

87 replies

G
Userlevel 7

15.6 Update Release Notes:

  • We’ve removed the ability to control the Sonos app for iOS using lock screen controls and device hardware buttons. The way these features were architected do not meet Apple’s experience guidelines for developers and no longer offer a reliable control experience.

https://support.sonos.com/en-us/article/release-notes-for-sonos-s2

"Receive with simplicity everything that happens to you." - Rashi
R
Userlevel 2
Badge

15.6 Update Release Notes:

  • We’ve removed the ability to control the Sonos app for iOS using lock screen controls and device hardware buttons. The way these features were architected do not meet Apple’s experience guidelines for developers and no longer offer a reliable control experience.

https://support.sonos.com/en-us/article/release-notes-for-sonos-s2

What the...Okay, is there any future development?

I think many users would really dependent on that :(

Airgetlam

There’s already a thread about this:

 

Bruce
T
Userlevel 2

Very disappointing.  Please restore this feature

K
Userlevel 2

Just had an exchange with Sonos rep who repeated the decision from Sonos to remove this feature because there were too many “technical” issues even though, as I pointed out, their actual customers use it daily and have no issues with it.  There is something else behind this - I’ve been using Sonos for over 8 years and this is very valuable feature. To just wipe it out for their own customers is bad business. I’ll be looking for new speakers tomorrow. Technology on newer speakers from other companies, including Apple, has improved greatly. I wasn’t looking to switch but with a move like this now I am.  Horrible decision, Sonos.  I’ll never understand why a company makes decisions like this that are clearly counter-productive for their customers. Prediction: customers will start to flock elsewhere.  Sonos stock price will plummet.  Sad news all around. 

Airgetlam

The folks at Apple will be very happy with your reaction, it supports the reason why they’re forcing this change on Sonos. 

Bruce
K
Userlevel 2

Apple isn’t forcing this - Sonos made this decision on their own. The end. 

B
Userlevel 7
Badge +18

Apple isn’t forcing this - Sonos made this decision on their own. The end. 

Always a pleasure to encounter those who know best.

N
Userlevel 7
Badge +18

Apple isn’t forcing this - Sonos made this decision on their own. The end. 

Always a pleasure to encounter those who know best.


Not “know best”: they  just “know”. They rarely reveal the source of their knowledge, of course, or any facts to justify it.

Perhaps @KP2023America will be an exception? 

K
Userlevel 2

The Sonos Rep literally told me it was Sonos’ decision. I posted that in my first post. No need to turn this into a partisan issue although it’s hard to tell if you have a position or just want to be combative. Go out and get some sunshine. Enjoy the beach. Greet the world with a smile. 😎

N
Userlevel 7
Badge +18

The Sonos Rep literally told me it was Sonos’ decision. I posted that in my first post. No need to turn this into a partisan issue although it’s hard to tell if you have a position or just want to be combative. Go out and get some sunshine. Enjoy the beach. Greet the world with a smile. 😎

Fair enough, @KP2023America  😜.

I’m not trying to be combative, just hoping for some hard facts in a muddy situation. “He said/she said” is not always 100% reliable information.
 

I’ll head for the beach in a short while… 🏄

K
Userlevel 2

Nice. 🏄🏼 is good. 

106rallye
Userlevel 7
Badge +17

Of course is Sonos’ decision to stop this. And they indeed say so themselves: “We’ve removed the ability to control the Sonos app for iOS using lock screen controls and device hardware buttons.” I trust their reasoning is sound though: “The way these features were architected do not meet Apple’s experience guidelines for developers and no longer offer a reliable control experience.”

moosaka
Badge

I knew when we lost access to change the volume when the iPhone was locked a few years ago that it was inevitable it would be removed altogether. Sadly that day is now upon us. 
I don’t even care who made the decision, it is 2023 and I can’t imagine why we lose features of convenience like this given technology and it’s current rate of advance.

WordPlay
Badge

It sounds like we have a strong, definitive answer (directly from the mouth of Sonos) at this point. I guess it’s time I work on my index finger dexterity with the hope of improving my otherwise shaky manipulation of the Sonos volume control slider on the iPhone. I’ll be using my middle finger for something else. Are you listening, Sonos? 

J
Userlevel 1

Argh! Really, team?

Using the volume buttons was a useful, important, intuitive feature. Is it really beyond the expertise of SONOS and/or Apple to allow for this most basic way to control volume? 

 

N

 Then you should probably fix the volume controls in your app… it sucks

S

 “The way these features were architected do not meet Apple’s experience guidelines for developers and no longer offer a reliable control experience.”
A $2 billion dollar company that (face facts was built on the back of your customers investing in you and your products) chooses to simply turn its back on fixing this (feature that still works fine in android) an therefore turns its back on its iOS customers? 
In my business experience a company is measured on how it deals with setbacks and problems for its customers not just the problem itself. Not lookin good so far! 
Shares are consistent decline. 
I spent a lot of my hard earned money on my system as many have an I’ll be ditching an spending else where if this isn’t fixed soon. It changes the whole dynamics of volume simplicity. 

106rallye
Userlevel 7
Badge +17

Sonos would be working against a 2 trillion dollar company, that either seems to view this kind of acces by outside apps to controls as a security risk or is trying to willfully limit competitors. That’s not a set back, that’s a lost war.

buzz

Let’s imagine that there is an A/V receiver (or two or three) in the house and you want the same Lock Screen service? Since the service was always a hack, which control should survive?

Perhaps I kicked the tires once or twice, but this was not a feature that I used. It always seemed like a risky feature because I move around the house. How does the Lock Screen feature know which room I’m listening in?

J
Userlevel 1

Kinda vexing that the volume button functionality is still available if we abandon S2 and use the Apple Music app.  

P
Userlevel 1

I’m visually impaired and find  the iphone buttons much easier to use than the tiny onscreen sliders. This was a crappy surprise move by Sonos that did not consider the customer experience. And I notice that all my other apps do allow volume control via the buttons. Shape up, Sonos, and restore this functionality. 

P

Not impressed sonos 

R

I find the removal of apple volume button functionality by Sonos totally baffling. Thats what volume buttons are for. Sonos should reconsider the necessity to remove this function which in my experience worked just fine.

bockersjv
Userlevel 7
Badge +21

I find the removal of apple volume button functionality by Sonos totally baffling. Thats what volume buttons are for. Sonos should reconsider the necessity to remove this function which in my experience worked just fine.

Have you read the reasons in this and other threads.  This, as usual, is an Apple reason.  They seem to be wanting the Volume control buttons to control sound coming from the device rather than any external source (unless that source is another Apple device!).

It’s annoying and further proof how IT companies seeming to be playing games with each other with no consideration for the end customer.  A trend that seems to be getting worse everywhere.

 

What I would like to see is a better implementation of the volume control in the Sonos UI.   The slider is very small and when trying to control at lower volume it’s too easy to mute the speaker by mistake.

Terms & ConditionsCookie settings