Support Spotify Connect to allow users to use the Spotify app as the controller.
Userlevel 3
Spotify Connect was just announced and I was surprised that I didn't see Sonos in the list of companies that would provide support. Many Spotify users have been asking for a long time to be able to use the Spotify app as the controller for selecting songs, as it provides a superior experience (you still can't even see the Top 5 songs in the Spotify view within the Sonos app, and it is difficult to look through an artist's collection to find a specific song unless you know which album it was in). Please support spotify connect. Additional details on Spotify Connect are here: http://www.theverge.com/2013/9/3/4688166/spotify-connect-launches-to-stream-music-to-compatible-speakers If you look at the post on theverge, even the first comment was one asking for Sonos support for the feature.
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And if, as has been reported, Spotify Connect requires certain hardware to be on the components in order to operate, what then? Spotify has stated there "are a couple of devices already out in the market that will support this through a firmware upgrade." This says to me that the Spotify Connect "licensing" is similar to Apple Airplay, in that it requires a chip in order to work. This is the method in which a provider locks in certain vendors, and locks out others. Without the license (and the chip), you can't use the service. Given this, what is Sonos supposed to do about: 1) Existing hardware which has no chip? 2) Any future hardware, if Spotify denies them the license due to exclusive contracts with other vendors? See, it is not a simple answer that "now there is an opportunity to provide a better experience with your hardware, encouraging me to go out and buy additional Sonos hardware like the soundbar, or additional Play3 / Play5s." That is naive. In reality (if we take Pascal de Mul's initial statements as truth), it seems Spotify would rather compete with Sonos than actually work with Sonos. And as to Sonos being threatened by Spotify Connect, that was said about Squeezebox, Linksys, Yamaha, Sony, Apple's Airplay, Nexus Q and a dozen more systems and/or services offered. I personally feel some people may abandon Sonos for Spotify Connect, but just as many, if not more, will abandon Spotify in order to keep Sonos. Especially if the Spotify Connect system has the same "glorified Bluetooth speaker" functionality that Airplay has.
Userlevel 3
Jgatie: As a customer the business plans of Spotify and Sonos are irrelevant to me. I bought hardware that supported the Spotify platform, so support the platform. Do the right thing for your customers. They're in the position to sell additional hardware by being a Spotify Connect vendor (not so much direct competition?), the unifying abilities of the Sonos controller app don't make much sense when you're subscribing to an all-you-can-eat music service. And when I do want integration with those other services, great, the Sonos app is there for me. It's a value add, not the primary feature for the purchase, that would be the audio hardware. "This isn't Sonos abandoning Spotify, it is Spotify abandoning Sonos." Even if Spotify is the reason for the gimped functionality of the Sonos app, now there is an opportunity to provide a better experience with your hardware, encouraging me to go out and buy additional Sonos hardware like the soundbar, or additional Play3 / Play5s. Honestly, it seems like Sonos is much more threatened by avoiding Spotify Connect, as it pairs great software with stronger brand names in the audio business. Sonos previously was very attractive as it offered a decent quality audio system at entry level prices that just worked. Now, everyone else has the opportunity to 'just work' by integrating with Spotify connect, and so long as they're willing to compete with similar prices (and the Spotify Connect announcement seemed to indicate they are), I think Sonos will be a tough sell over other brands, and poor support for Spotify won't help.
"Sonos provides support for the Spotify platform" Actually, they both cooperate on support. It is a two way street. "The Spotify platform now includes Spotify Connect, so why shouldn't the hardware I've purchased continue to work with that platform" Because the Spotify Connect business plan is in direct competition to Sonos, and the decision to allow that "platform" to "continue to work" with Sonos lies solely with Spotify. If Spotify decides to cut off Sonos tomorrow, there is nothing Sonos can do about it. Nothing. This isn't Sonos abandoning Spotify, it is Spotify abandoning Sonos. The director of partnerships basically admitted this fact, before he was hushed by the suits. Why that is so hard to understand, I don;'t know.
Userlevel 3
Thanks for the response. I think we all understand very well where you're coming from. We'd like you to understand that we purchased hardware you advertised _on Spotify_ as the best way to enjoy the Spotify platform. That platform now includes Spotify Connect, and if you can announce a technical reason as to why you can't support Connect, then the ball is understandably back in Spotify's court. You need to be able to separate your app and music unification aspirations from the support you promised for the Spotify platform. Even if the Sonos app wasn't causing significant customer pain (was nearly as easy to use as the Spotify app), I would still expect to see the Sonos speakers receive an update that enabled them to work with Spotify Connect. It's just a matter of supporting the changing Spotify platform, and recognizing what is best for your users.
Userlevel 3
Jgatie: Sonos provides support for the Spotify platform. The Spotify platform now includes Spotify Connect, so why shouldn't the hardware I've purchased continue to work with that platform? That Sonos also has a controller app and it's own goals for unifying a variety of music services is irrelevant to me, I bought _hardware_ that supports the Spotify platform. It's great that they continue to work on the Sonos app, but they also need to recognize that they ran ads for months on Spotify assuring users that the best way to enjoy the Spotify platform was through Sonos hardware.
Everything I've read about Spotify Connect says it allows you to switch from component to component, but no grouping of components.
Been hoping for something like Spotify Connect for a long time. Spotify's apps are so much better than Sonos', which makes much sense since Spotify only have to deal with their own platform but Sonos needs to have everything generic. This of course is a limitation. So I was hoping that Sonos would open up for easy control of zones and grouping of them via API, so that others like Spotify could control Sonos. Spotify came up with an even better solution (if grouping is included) but not having Sonos on the hardware list made my heart sink. I have 7 Sonos zones and peripherals. Would hate to upgrade the trusty Sonos hardware. So please Sonos, bend over backwards to get on that hardware list.
It seems to me that Spotify is at a crossroads in regards to Sonos support. If one is keen on keeping Sonos hardware and wishes to send a message to Spotify, the only message any corporation listens to is a loss of revenue. Cancelling a subscrition with "Abandoned the Sonos platform" given as a reason is the most effective step one can take. Posting here with continuous complaints to Sonos does nothing.
Userlevel 2
Thank you for pointing that out, Jgatie I think this announcement says it all... sadly.
And an equal number of people complain about a lack of any reply, and beg "Just give us an idea that you are looking into it!!!", which is what they have done. Besides, we all know that nothing short of total access to insider information which would violate SEC rules is going to satisfy any of the complainers here. Sonos is truly damned if they do and damned if they don't. And by the way, for a official reply with some meat, see the announcement of "Not Planned" status on Spotify Radio. Even a blind man can read between those lines.
Sonos has dozens of service providers. Not supporting one single provider hasn't hurt them in the case of Google Music and/or iTunes iCloud, and their memberships dwarf that of Spotify. I'm sure Sonos has a contignency plan. Either way, there's nothing they can do about it, so shouldn't you be lobbying over at Spotify?
Sonos is a premium brand. When a USP of a brand gets lost over night you either rebuild or reposition your brand or you get killed by competition. Its important for consumers to express their feelings towards those things so Sonos can understand and set right priorities. It would be worse not to raise those points.
Before having an official reply like this I prefer no reply. It's better to invest time to find a sufficient answer rather than keeping people posted with ready-made, meaningless text blocks. So it's about the quality of service, we're at a forum called "ask sonos" and most of us paid a lot of money for those devices. So service should be as premium as pricing. Consumers shouldn't accept less than that.
People have been forecasting the death of Sonos for years, citing everything from Squeezebox, to Linksys, to Yamaha, to Airplay, to "lack of support for service XYZ" as the death knell. Yet Sonos is still going, and outpacing it's own sales every year. Methinks the obituary is a bit premature.
Get no official reply? Complain about no official reply. Get official reply? Complain about the reply itself. No wonder they don't say much about anything. *rolleyes*
Summary of the official reply: "Nothing to say. I love my job." Sad.
+18
Hi folks, There's not much to say at the moment but we'd like everyone to understand where we're coming regarding the announcement from Spotify. Sonos is a platform for music lovers and we want Sonos customers to enjoy all the music on earth from whatever source they choose. We have an excellent partnership with Spotify which is, and will continue to be, an important part of many of our customers music listening experience on Sonos. Thanks for your continued support.
Check out this article for some more details: gizmodo.com/spotify-connect-sonos-like-powers-that-bend-to-your-bu-1228510223 It's essential for SONOS to add, else they will be blasted away by competition. I expect it be in the beta of SONOS very soon, and to have them as primary adoptor. Else the brand is dead 🙂
Userlevel 2
Rather enigmatic reply...
Userlevel 1
I asked him if he means "Spotify Connect": "(...)no that is not what I am saying. Not playing games but you'll need to watch this space."
Last I heard, it takes two to "negotiate", and at this time it seems Sonos is much more willing to work with them than du Mul is to work with Sonos. Personally, when I assign blame, I usually assign it to the party that appears to be being difficult, not the one who seems to be willing to cooperate. YMMV.
Userlevel 7
+17
agreed - the back tracking will not change their underlying view of no further development with Sonos. Spotify have really pulled the proverbial rug from under Sonos' feet 😞
Userlevel 1
If Sonos really wanted to continue the partnership they would sure negotiate a solution.
Userlevel 2
I just tweeted de Mul asking if they will indeed stop development for/with sonos and received the following response: "No this is not correct. We will continue to develop and even expand that relationship. We are trying to get this rectified." Well, let's keep finger crossed... https://twitter.com/pdemul
Sounds like de Mul is going on a scorched earth campaign for his new tech, only to be reeled back in by the corporate suits. It was long rumored that the relationship between Sonos and Spotify was not the most cooperative, and this does nothing to quell that rumor.
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