Sonos not allowing old versions to stay on old phones - iphone 4 not supported

Don't you think Sonos would have maintained support for iOS 4.0 if they could? (Answer: Obviously).
Do you think it's more likely due to Apple changes or Sonos changes that the support for iOS is no longer possible? (Answer: Apple)

The iPhone 4 is 7 years old so it's had a good run (especially in Apple terms of obsolescence)

Sonophone will still let you use your phone as a controller with sonos. You will have to check it works with iphone4.
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/sonophone/id815251931?mt=8
It has some limitations, eg. does not play music stored on the phone itself.

I would hazard a guess this is due to Apple insisting ALL apps in the App Store must be 64bit and IOS 11 will not allow 32 bit apps to run.

So If Sonos want to publish their app on the Apple App Store they must drop support for 32bit apps.

As 64Bit support was added with the launch of the iPhone 5S, any of the previous 32 bit iPhones will no longer be able to instal new apps.

I have an old iPhone 4 I use just for Sonos. I started getting the message, "update your OS or get another device" (paraphrasing). So... I updated the old 4 from 6.x something to version 8.4.1 - and then it made me update the Sonos app - and Viola! It works just fine now... for me anyway.

@benjammin. Are you sure that isn't an iPhone 4S, rather than a 4? The 4S can run iOS 8 and so is still compatible with Sonos.

John, yes it may be a 4S, now that I think about it. Model a1387 it says on the back... Thanks for clarifying.

I agree - totally fed up as I now cannot control my Sonos. iPhone 4 and iPad 2.
If I pay £600 for a new phone what happens next year.
Cheaper to sell thé Sonos and buy a new stereo! Rip off merchants.

BMF wrote:

I would hazard a guess this is due to Apple insisting ALL apps in the App Store must be 64bit and IOS 11 will not allow 32 bit apps to run.

So If Sonos want to publish their app on the Apple App Store they must drop support for 32bit apps.

As 64Bit support was added with the launch of the iPhone 5S, any of the previous 32 bit iPhones will no longer be able to instal new apps.

If so, then how do the alternatives to the official Sonos app still function?

Knotmaster wrote:

I agree - totally fed up as I now cannot control my Sonos. iPhone 4 and iPad 2.
If I pay £600 for a new phone what happens next year.
Cheaper to sell thé Sonos and buy a new stereo! Rip off merchants.

Buy Android phones, instead...

Knotmaster wrote:

I agree - totally fed up as I now cannot control my Sonos. iPhone 4 and iPad 2.
If I pay £600 for a new phone what happens next year.
Cheaper to sell thé Sonos and buy a new stereo! Rip off merchants.

Err whose product are you being forced to buy as a result of this? I agree, Apple's planned obsolescence is a ripoff.

amun wrote:

If so, then how do the alternatives to the official Sonos app still function?

The 3rd party apps are missing the functionality contained in the newer versions of the iOS SDK. Unfortunately, Apple does not allow you to maintain and release multiple versions of an app targeted for old vs new iOS versions and, unlike Android, Apple seems to orphan an iOS version long before the hardware it supports is past its prime. That is the "planned obsolescence" you hear so much of.

Agree with most of these comments. Bought my wife Sonos system a couple years ago to replace kitchen radio. She stil has an iPhone 4 , so now system essentially useless for her. Not that it is much better for me with the NEW app which is about as user friendly as a wasps nest. Sonos basically sucks.

This is a common occurrence across many apps, not just Sonos. Once the OS creator, Apple, in this case, stops supporting the device, most software makers have to stop supporting it as well, as they no longer have access to documentation about the OS that runs on that device. It's an unfortunate thing, to be sure. This isn't, unfortunately, just an issue with Apple, but other companies like Microsoft as well.

OK, I guess I will allow Apple some of the blame. That doesn't let Sonos off the hook for designing a product which has no method of control beyond a phone app. No function controls on the device, no remote of its own. It maybe seemed like a cool idea, but this poor design leaves them at the mercy of Apple and Android.

I just want the damn thing to turn on for her in the morning. I have two Play 1s. One is hard wired, the other is about 25ft away in the next room but every single time you hit the button all you get is a red light flashing back at you until you pull out your phone and re-find the station (which works with my phone, not hers).

What if you bought a car, tv or refrigerator that needed your iphone to be current and at hand in order to operate?
And then on top of that, just for fun, lets change up the app completely and make it less user friendly and harder to start the car and put it in gear, like re-arranging the dash and all the controls every once in a while.

And while I completely understand the concept of designed or planned obsolescence, I disagree with the "had a good run" and "get over it and get a new phone" mentality in the comments.

First: My wife's iPhone 4 is NOT 7 years old. She is not a techie and is fairly frugal. She bought her entry level iPhone maybe 4 or 4 1/2 years ago.
From Wikipedia- The iPhone 4 spent the longest time as Apple's flagship iPhone model at fifteen months, and had the longest lifespan of any iPhone ever produced, spanning close to four years and available in some developing countries until early 2015. Although the succeeding 4S was announced in September 2011, the 4 continued to be sold as a midrange model until September 2012, and thereafter as the entry-level offering in Apple's lineup until September 2013 with the announcement of the iPhone 5S/iPhone 5C.

Second: The world in general and the electronics industry more specifically needs to re-think this landfill filling "three year lifespan and throw it away" mentality.

I'm a senior iOS Developer...for many years...most of the replies on this thread are simply thoughts from the ignorant. Apple does not require Sonos to remove access to older versions of Sonos app and prevent your older phones from using Sonos hardware, that is purely a Sonos decision. In fact, Apple allows older versions of Sonos iOS app to remain for older, unsupported hardware for the very fact that some users hold onto their old Apple hardware long after Apple stops caring about it. Sonos has decided to upgrade Sonos firmware on existing hardware in the field and has decided as a business not to allow this to be backwards compatible with older versions of their iOS app software is purely a Sonos decision. I'm sure it's purely a business decision. Truth is, if you're using an iPhone older than 3 years, you are on borrowed time because Apple only supports iOS two major revisions back. So as of this post, iOS 10 and iOS 11 are supported by Apple and iOS 10, only for security patches.

Guys if you bought a Porsche you have the unwritten expectation that you would be able to get into it, start it, and drive it - no matter what other technology comes out. The keys to your fancy hi tech, expensive, 1998 911 Turbo do not become obsolete just because push button start has been invented. Porsche would never allow their car keys to be manufactured by any third party - their reputation is on the line.
If Sonos has allowed Apple to be the gatekeeper of their fancy product they should be rethinking their decision. I was a big Sonos fan until my 12 year old daughters iphone4 could no longer control the Play1 in her room. With the recent admission that Apple intentionally slows down their phones - this should be a big wake up call to Sonos. Your reputation is at stake guys. Get to the boardroom and find a solution before you completely lose your raving fans.

Apple is just one partner for a controller. Apple is the gatekeeper for their product. If you don't want to use apple there are plenty of other options for a controller. Sonos is not reliant on Apple - it is just one app version.

My advice to those that have old devices .... it happens.

You can get a Fire 7 tablet from Amazon and be back in business (they are like $39). And Android actually tends to not go obsolete as fast ... plus has the advantage of ability to be a direct connect to Sonos controller