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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Spotify Connect is a SINGLE device connection for playing music, either over Bluetooth or AirPlay.
The Sonos System is a multiroom, multi-speaker system, for playing music services over wifi. So it's a completely different thing entirely. However, Sonos do offer a workaround to this issue, as mentioned numerous times in various community posts and that's by using an Airport Express, connected to the line-in of either the Sonos Play-5, Connect etc...
That results in Spotify Connect (and other Apps with built-in AirPlay) of then being capable of playing music through each and every Sonos Product (even those without a line-in), using single or combined speakers in multiple rooms etc, or otherwise... So lots of improvement all round for those people who are lucky enough and aim to afford to have a multiroom hifi system in their home.
Personally I don't see the point of using the line-in though, in this case, as Spotify Music is part of the Sonos Services that can be installed anyway, if you are a premium user. Unless people here are just trying to do things in a much cheaper way, in which case Sonos is probably not the type of product they were after to begin with and perhaps their aim ought to be lower and revert back to playing the free Spotify Music Service on a single device (in a single location) over Bluetooth etc.
Personally I would prefer to aim higher and to be one of those lucky people... But TRUE these things do come at a slight cost to us all.
Ken Griffiths
The Sonos System is a multiroom, multi-speaker system, for playing music services over wifi. So it's a completely different thing entirely. However, Sonos do offer a workaround to this issue, as mentioned numerous times in various community posts and that's by using an Airport Express, connected to the line-in of either the Sonos Play-5, Connect etc...
That results in Spotify Connect (and other Apps with built-in AirPlay) of then being capable of playing music through each and every Sonos Product (even those without a line-in), using single or combined speakers in multiple rooms etc, or otherwise... So lots of improvement all round for those people who are lucky enough and aim to afford to have a multiroom hifi system in their home.
Personally I don't see the point of using the line-in though, in this case, as Spotify Music is part of the Sonos Services that can be installed anyway, if you are a premium user. Unless people here are just trying to do things in a much cheaper way, in which case Sonos is probably not the type of product they were after to begin with and perhaps their aim ought to be lower and revert back to playing the free Spotify Music Service on a single device (in a single location) over Bluetooth etc.
Personally I would prefer to aim higher and to be one of those lucky people... But TRUE these things do come at a slight cost to us all.
Ken Griffiths
I would add my support for this request for built in Spotify Connect - I bought Sonos as a good multi room solution to listening to music, I didn't buy it for it's app (which incidentally is pretty bad - you've not even offered an iOS7 version of it yet) - Spotify for me has become the defacto way to enjoy my music - I don't bother ripping CD's any longer, don't stream from my NAS, don't use any other service... Spotify has won the battle as far as I'm concerned.
Until Sonos offer better Spotify support I won't be investing in more Sonos speakers - why would I when there are now *better* solutions out there.
Sonos I would strongly advise you to think on this carefully - you are seriously running the risk of alienating your customers here. Do not underestimate how important Spotify is - if you refuse to add support for Spotify Connect I'll be forced to e-bay my current Sonos solution and look somewhere else for a solution that does...
Actually, Spotify Connect has nothing to do with AIrPlay. It is a separate entity, basically a Spotify specific version of Google Chromecast Audio that is built into the hardware.
Sonos, Could you please provide an update on this before Xmas. Thanks Eric...
@Ken I agree with most of what you are saying, couple of points though. Spotify Connect requires a premium sub, so this isn't about using the free service.
Second, for many people the problem with the Sonos interface is that in their opinion they find the features lacking, they want to use the native apps and play to their Sonos from that app. There are posts about this for almost every music service.
Second, for many people the problem with the Sonos interface is that in their opinion they find the features lacking, they want to use the native apps and play to their Sonos from that app. There are posts about this for almost every music service.
Agree with Eric, it would be nice with an official update from Sonos on this issue, before I'm investing in expanding my Sonos-system further!
Thanks
Geir
Userlevel 7
+17
if you read this article:
http://gigaom.com/2013/10/14/sonos-releases-new-200-speaker-ceo-dismisses-spotifys-connect-speaker-p...
it pretty much confirms this is not going to happen. best we can hope for is Spotify integrate sonos into their app but since that would conflict with their own Spotify Connect solution I think neither will happen and we'll all lose out 😞
I'm pretty sure that is the verb "connect" and not the noun "Spotify Connect". Spotify Connect is explained by CNET here, and it specifically says it competes with Airplay and Bluetooth:
http://www.cnet.com/news/spotify-connect-what-is-and-how-it-works/
http://www.cnet.com/news/spotify-connect-what-is-and-how-it-works/
Spotify Connect is one of several competing methods enabling you to listen to music on your phone through a stereo system. Others include Bluetooth, Apple's AirPlay and Google Cast.
The biggest difference between Spotify and popular streaming option Bluetooth is that it uses higher-quality Wi-Fi connectivity, which is less susceptible to dropouts, sounds better and has a much wider range.
. . .
By comparison, AirPlay -- which also uses Wi-Fi -- and Bluetooth stream music directly from the phone to the receiving device, which can wear down the battery more quickly.
My solution was to just stop using Spotify and switch to Google Play All Access. With the Macronos app installed on my phone, it works like a charm right from the Google Play Music app. I know this doesn't solve the Spotify problem, but it has solved my musical frustrations. Just wanted to pass that on.
Oh I think I see now, so users want Sonos to support Apple AirPlay, Google Chromecast, Bluetooth, Spotify Connect... I assume next will be something like Microsoft Music-Link and Amazon Access etc. ...or something similar
Surely this moving market of 'music casting technology' has to settle first, before a company like Sonos can choose which way to proceed.
The line-in port has been the 'connect' (verb) method upto now, but perhaps some kind of 'universal standard speaker device port/adapter' needs developing to allow the customer to plugin their own chosen services.
I can't see how Sonos can be all things to all people. Nor should they have to choose. It really needs a 'meeting of minds' to sort the path ahead.
Ken Griffiths
Surely this moving market of 'music casting technology' has to settle first, before a company like Sonos can choose which way to proceed.
The line-in port has been the 'connect' (verb) method upto now, but perhaps some kind of 'universal standard speaker device port/adapter' needs developing to allow the customer to plugin their own chosen services.
I can't see how Sonos can be all things to all people. Nor should they have to choose. It really needs a 'meeting of minds' to sort the path ahead.
Ken Griffiths
Nick, I´m not sure if you are right. If you read the second last paragraph in the article. Isn't that a solution to the problem?
I just bought an induction hob. I am bitterly disappointed in the manufacturer because it does not support non-induction compatible cookware.
So I am going to hold my breath until I am blue ( because it makes me feel good) and then tear the kitchen out and replace it with something that will use my aluminium saucepans.
Should only cost around £10,000. I refuse to look at, think about, or even try anything that will work properly because the hob manufacturer is wrong and I am right.
I have read that I can buy expensive conversion plates that will allow me to use my saucepans.
My other half keeps nagging me that why not just get saucepans that will work on the hob...some people eh!
So I am going to hold my breath until I am blue ( because it makes me feel good) and then tear the kitchen out and replace it with something that will use my aluminium saucepans.
Should only cost around £10,000. I refuse to look at, think about, or even try anything that will work properly because the hob manufacturer is wrong and I am right.
I have read that I can buy expensive conversion plates that will allow me to use my saucepans.
My other half keeps nagging me that why not just get saucepans that will work on the hob...some people eh!
Userlevel 7
+17
'...simply press a “play on Sonos” button within the app of their favorite service'. I very much doubt Spotify would add this possibility alongside their own offering which does the very same thing but to competitors speakers and receivers. Also, the fact "They asked us to participate, and we didn’t" indicates the relationship between them is not exactly friendly.
Bose is on their third redesign in about the same number of years because of this. They recently dropped Airplay because they could never make it work with multi-room. I personally like the fact that Sonos doesn't latch onto the flavor of the day. It saves them the growing pains like Bose has/had, and it also means they can disconnect their reviews and/or support responsibilities from flawed, unreliable, or dated technology like AirPlay (streams through the phone) or Bluetooth (limited range, compressed quality, through the phone).
Userlevel 1
A good solution - at least outside of mobile - would be to have a Chrome App that allows "play to Sonos" button for any music from the browser.
This would mean you could use Spotify web version, and finally play Youtube to Sonos as well. And Soundcloud and [insert whatever music service you use here]
That to me is the best solution as its a one fixes all rather than having to persuade Spotify etc to include functionality in their native apps.
I hope that this is what the CEO is referring to in this article - if not please can you add that to the development queue sir?!
It sounds very much like the Macronos app that lets you do that straight from Google Play Music. That would definitely solve the problem and I cannot wait until they release this feature!!
Bose is on their third redesign in about the same number of years because of this. They recently dropped Airplay because they could never make it work with multi-room. I personally like the fact that Sonos doesn't latch onto the flavor of the day. It saves them the growing pains like Bose has/had, and it also means they can disconnect their reviews and/or support responsibilities from flawed, unreliable, or dated technology like AirPlay (streams through the phone) or Bluetooth (limited range, compressed quality, through the phone).
'Spot on' jgatie ... I'm really quite amazed at how some people spend around £2k+ on Sonos equipment, without proper research, to get it out the box and then wonder why it doesn't use Bluetooth or have built-in AirPlay etc.
I can only repeat what one Tier 2 Sonos support engineer once said to me. "We are a multi-room wireless speaker company, and we try never to lose sight of that'.
All credit to Sonos for staying focused. I'm sure it will hold them in good stead for their planned future development of products.
Ken Griffiths
Userlevel 3
"Asked about the Spotify initiative, MacFarlane told me: “They asked us to participate, and we didn’t.” He went on to argue that it made little sense to tie speaker systems to the brand of a single music service, joking that stores like Best Buy shouldn’t have separate aisles for Pandora speakers and Spotify speakers." - Gigaom - http://gigaom.com/2013/10/14/sonos-releases-new-200-speaker-ceo-dismisses-spotifys-connect-speaker-p...
Not sure if you ever noticed this, but your posts throughout the thread are now shown to be painfully incorrect. I hope this provides some perspective for you in the future, as I believe that you were very convinced Spotify, not Sonos, was at fault.
Any new news here Tom?
Sometimes I think the ask website here is a way to outsource complaining so companies can ignore it when they want. I believe I have the email format for Sonos employees and some contacts below.
Sonos CEO: john.macfarlane@sonos.com
Pres COO: phil.abram@sonos.com
VP Sales/Marketing: thomas.cullen@sonos.com, tom.cullen@sonos.com
Quality Control Director: kim.sutter@sonos.com
Consumer Marketing Manager: laura.cook@sonos.com
Sonos, I respectfully insist on an update for this. This isn't just a simple request by many of us, but a direct misrepresentation by Sonos. A timeline for your resolution or a true technical reason why this isn't possible should be provided. I invested a good deal of money in my Sonos system and until we receive that update, I will be reaching out to every tech review site through multiple means to explain how Sonos says it's "the best Spotify experience" yet doesn't even meet functional parity. How long has Spotify had Radio? How popular is it? Seriously, your false promises feel like dirty business tactics.
I encourage all to share this thread through social media, by emailing examples to tech review sites and write reviews yourself on places like Amazon.com or for the Sonos app in the App Store.
Sonos CEO: john.macfarlane@sonos.com
Pres COO: phil.abram@sonos.com
VP Sales/Marketing: thomas.cullen@sonos.com, tom.cullen@sonos.com
Quality Control Director: kim.sutter@sonos.com
Consumer Marketing Manager: laura.cook@sonos.com
Sonos, I respectfully insist on an update for this. This isn't just a simple request by many of us, but a direct misrepresentation by Sonos. A timeline for your resolution or a true technical reason why this isn't possible should be provided. I invested a good deal of money in my Sonos system and until we receive that update, I will be reaching out to every tech review site through multiple means to explain how Sonos says it's "the best Spotify experience" yet doesn't even meet functional parity. How long has Spotify had Radio? How popular is it? Seriously, your false promises feel like dirty business tactics.
I encourage all to share this thread through social media, by emailing examples to tech review sites and write reviews yourself on places like Amazon.com or for the Sonos app in the App Store.
Userlevel 7
+17
Any new news here Tom?
certainly no luck for me. Whilst I dont have a connect, I have Play 1s, 3s, 5s, playbar and sub.
With Spotify on my phone it "sees" 1 x Panasonic ALL1C, 1 x Pioneer wifi speaker, 2 x Amazon Fire Sticks and my laptop - all Spotify Connect enabled.
How nice it would be to come home from work and just transfer whatever I was listening to in the car to whatever Sonos I wanted without having to figure out which dirty workaround to use for which speaker(s) or have to build an identical music queue on sonos if I could even figure out where I had got the tracks from in the first place !
Sometimes I think the ask website here is a way to outsource complaining so companies can ignore it when they want. I believe I have the email format for Sonos employees and some contacts below.
Sonos CEO: john.macfarlane@sonos.com
Pres COO: phil.abram@sonos.com
VP Sales/Marketing: thomas.cullen@sonos.com, tom.cullen@sonos.com
Quality Control Director: kim.sutter@sonos.com
Consumer Marketing Manager: laura.cook@sonos.com
Sonos, I respectfully insist on an update for this. This isn't just a simple request by many of us, but a direct misrepresentation by Sonos. A timeline for your resolution or a true technical reason why this isn't possible should be provided. I invested a good deal of money in my Sonos system and until we receive that update, I will be reaching out to every tech review site through multiple means to explain how Sonos says it's "the best Spotify experience" yet doesn't even meet functional parity. How long has Spotify had Radio? How popular is it? Seriously, your false promises feel like dirty business tactics.
I encourage all to share this thread through social media, by emailing examples to tech review sites and write reviews yourself on places like Amazon.com or for the Sonos app in the App Store.
Userlevel 2
Sonos did a great job until now Alex. I miss your opinion about the change of Spotify logon with the Facebook account. I think this hysterical connections with Facebook inside every app is out of all proportions. I get hundreds of messages about how far all my friend and connections are on the trillions of small games via Game Center, get all the snapshots and what kind of movie they all watching - and now also what kind of music everybody is listening to, from different sources.... Do I need to know every little movement from over 500 people every day?
I use our Sonos system in our Academy and stream music from our NAS to the all the different rooms with my iPad. Every minute a message arrives about somebody did take a picture, did watch a movie or listen to some particular music. Who actually cares? What is Spotify hoping for? Producing just more Spam every day? Sonos is a serious company to me, producing quality products - Spotify is more chasing after exactly the same popularity, like so many other apps are also do right now. Until it gets pretty annoying and then Sonos and all of us have to change everything again....
John, the following things disturb me about your response:
- It contains no substance
- It fails to address the question
- It spits out the oligatory "all the music on earth" slogan. Now is not the time to celebrate your marketing cliches
- There is no follow-up to the barrage of responses
I too paid a lot of money to buy into the Sonos ecosystem on the merit of the hardware and the integrated experience and had planned to expand. There is an implicit expectation that comes from a solid vision along with high quality hardware that the company "gets it" and is worth the investment.
However, it feels like something has changed. The company is failing to be responsive to customer requests and to keep up with technology, does not respond adequately to questions on ask.sonos.com and keeps us entirely uninformed about plans for improvements and upgrades. I'm disappointed because Sonos has fallen short of my expectations compared to the day I bought it. It's almost like the company is secretly in trouble, so they've scaled back on R&D and focused on marketing instead to keep revenue coming, hoping it'll help them through whatever trouble they're in. I conclude all this simply from the way you respond, John. And I'm beginning to wonder if I made a mistake.
I'm certainly not expanding my system until I see evidence of continued innovation. Right now, the company is too quiet and it makes me nervous.There are far too many unanswered open requests and far too few product developments.
Userlevel 1
this is 2 years ago. Why is Spotify still usless on Sonos. Apple music is not much better. a little better interface but Apple Muisc is way behind Spotify. and I am an aplle everthing user. But I draw the line with Apple music. I feel like going back to CDs.
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