Three questions:
- Is the update to S2 or just to a newer version of S1?
- Why do you think you Gen 1 Play 5's are obsolete - there's no importatnt difference between S1 and S2 software yet, so you can stay on S1 until you want to buy devices that where introduced this year.
- What manufacturere will guarantee you any internet connected device will not become obsolete after a few years?
If you really do not want the risk for your speakers to become obsolete after a few years, but you'd still want to be have Sonos connectivity, you could buy a Port and connnect that to a non internet-connected amp with passive speakers. Then you'd only run the (small) risk of the Sonos Port becoming obsolete.
You have misunderstood what is going on here. The S1 PC app is not going to update to S2 without warning - as @106rallye hinted, this is just an update within S1, of the sort you have been doing for years.
You are possibly being prompted because your system (as opposed to your app) has already updated. This depends on what you have set for automatic updates (and any updates you may have run yourself, obviously). If you look in a mobile controller under System, System Updates, do you have automatic system updates enabled?
In the PC app, under Help, About My Sonos System, what version are your speakers on? What about the desktop controller? My up-to-date S1 system has both on version 11.2.3.
106rallye and John B, thanks a mil for your very useful comments!
John B, you are correct that I assumed that if I accepted the update, my S1 App will be upgraded to S2 as I think I read a few months ago that the S1 App will no longer be updated. However, seeing now that the current S1 App is at version 11.2.3 and I am running version 11.2, if I run the update, it will probably take me to S1 11.2.3 and not upgrade me to S2.
I don’t have automatic systems updates enabled on my mobile phone S1 app and there is no such option in the Desktop S1 app.
106rallye, I guess the above answers your questions 1 & 2.
Regards your question 3, I suppose you are correct that there is no guarantee that the same thing will not happen with another manufacturer. If I go the Devialet Phantom route that I am considering, I will be sure to get confirmation that it will not become obsolete in a few years!
Many thanks
I don’t know how aware you are of the background to the S1 / S2 split, but essentially the devices that were deemed ‘legacy’ (but are still perfectly usable, as you are proving) have what are now pitiful amounts of memory (32MB of RAM). Sonos have managed to keep these going with great inventiveness for as long as they have, but keeping them compatible with newer developments eventually proved too much of a constraint.
There are still devices from 2005 being used happily by some users, and I think that is hugely to Sonos’ credit. Yes I am a Sonos fanboy, but I think Sonos’ record on maintaining support and compatibility is second to none.
You are entitled to take a different view of course.
PS - the apps are just remote controls. The big question is what system is being used - the app is just a matter of which remote control to use for the system you are on. ‘Updating the S1 app to S2 app’ doesn’t really mean anything.
@SylvesterE Just checked the Devialet Phantom. Beautiful speaker - even more expensive than Sonos! I could not find how long they support their speakers (Sonos has promised support for five years after dstopping production of a device - their track record is better).
@John B , I like your pragmatic view “..the apps are just remote controls” which is very true and makes me feel better about not wishing to upgrade my PLAY5s!
@106rallye , yes! the Devialet Phantom speakers are ‘beyond’ beautiful and sound even better than they look. The first time I heard one was over the phone and still knew then that they were very special. However….they seem very sketchy on post-warranty issues and say they don’t carry out repairs...ooops!
Hi - I don’t think the apps being just remote controls is a pragmatic view - it’s just the truth! Virtually all the software is on the speakers, and that is where your system is stored. When you play music, the app just tells the speaker what to get and the speaker gets it and plays it. Once the music is playing it will continue even if you smash the controller device with a hammer. You can uninstall a controller app and reinstall it and lose absolutely nothing. It’s a remote control.
@SylvesterE, It’s not possible to migrate to S2 automatically. The S1 system is still receiving security patches and bug fixes, thus it’s recommended to update the S1 app as well as the firmware.
@John B , spoken like a true Sonos fanboy 
but agree completely. Sometimes I am playing music from my phone app and then add speakers from my desktop app in the office
@Smilja , I have since run the update and presto! still on S1 but now on S1 version 11.2.3 and no negative impact on my ‘old’ PLAY5s as @John B said earlier. Thanks
