The New Sonos App and Future Feature Updates

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B

Is anybody else frustrated with the new app?  It is very sluggish and jumpy to the point it's hard to use.  For me, the sonos app has always been underwhelming.  The speakers I love, but I guess I expect a much better app from a company like Sonis.

A
Userlevel 3

I’ve just updated to the new “early June fix” release - I can’t see any difference.  Still cant search my local library.  Still can’t easily index them (have to scroll through thousands of entries).  Still essentially unusable. What’s changed?

A

 

How about roll back to the old version.  Fix all the stuff, and then release it after June!  Make a dang headphone only S3 version if you must.  Try to win back some good will by doing it right!

And as to feedback on this new version (before it is re-inflicted upon us)?

  • Maybe some external power-user testing and feedback before pushing a major UX overhaul?
  • Navigation - now absolutely horrendous. And not just “different”, really really bad.
  • Access to and management of My Sonos favs, and carrying over what we’ve put together over years maybe?
  • Multiple family members on a system - can no longer see and use each others libs or even just restart each others’ playlists?
  • I have two independent systems… and switching between the two is now painstaking. 

I could go on...

John Guarr
Userlevel 4
Badge +5

Can’t search for music in the app!! And it haven’t worked since the new app. I’m Using YouSee musik

I’m sure you will have but have you updated the app to today’s latest version?

Yes, no change!!!!

 

Yes, and no noticeable change for me either. 

I
Userlevel 4
Badge +1

Well, today's update was a new experience. I was excited about this new, innovative 'add to queue' function.

After updating the app, the app tells me to update my products. I tried that, but it's just a cacophony of error messages. The result is that I can no longer use the app at all.

Another rushed software update, another disappointment.

 

I
Userlevel 4
Badge +1

Well, after unplugging the products that wouldn't update, I can at least get back into the app to see these wonderful app updates.

So you did create an 'add at the end of queue' function, but there's still no way to edit the queue (remove or rearrange songs)? And still no way to edit playlists? And there's zero mention of it on the roadmap?

At this rate, it's going to be months, if not years, before the new app has the same basic functionality as the old app.

J
Userlevel 4
Badge +2

Not easy anymore to switch from 1 speaker to another, ande certainly not if you switch from phone to IPad or other Smartphone. It is horrible!

It is getting worse by the day. Grouping, switching and volume has gone crazy and the new norm is Expecting the speakers to randomly turn off. Sometimes no access to radio, sometimes no voice capability for the roam or the Sonos ONE, the most expected daily occurrence is not trusting that the system will work… using the UE boom when all else SONOS fails. I tried rolling back and updating. It’s all been a disaster. This forum is intended too help but WHY is it the customers job to fix what they did not break? 

 

This is what I don’t understand with a lot of posts on here. The bolded parts above surely are not app related. Yet many posters in this and other threads report similar issues and are convinced all was fine before the app upgrade. It’s puzzling.

FWIW, as someone earlier up asked for feedback, my setup works fine (unforgivably missing features such as queue management not withstanding) - local library via Synology using SMB3, Alexa voice control, room selection, volume control etc. Line in to amp, TV sound to Beam and sub, One’s in stereo pair, Move etc. all humming away.

** This post has ended up a lot longer than I intended :-) if you want to skip to my assessment of what has happened without my explanations of why I think it is the case, skip to the last paragraph** 

SMB is a protocol (essentially a list of rules) that says this is how you have a conversation. For example to start you must always said hello then my name and to end a conversation you must say goodbye then my name. In the middle you can talk about the weather, (I’m British ;-) ) about the rising cost of food or house prices BUT nothing else.

Valid Example

Talker Person : Hello Jenny

<Jenny starts listening>

it’s quite warm for this time of year isn’t it

Jenny : yes it really is

Talker Person :Goodbye Jenny

<Jenny stops listening>

Invalid Example

Talker Person : Hello Jenny

<Jenny starts listening>

Aren’t the flowers pretty at the moment

Jenny :

Talker Person :Goodbye Jenny

<Jenny stops listening>

*Note in the invalid example there is no response.

But what happens if I update the rules and say you can no longer talk about the weather but I only tell one side. If I tell the listener but not the talker, they can then ignore anything the talker says about the weather as it’s not valid. But the talker will wonder why they are no longer getting a response. They might wait forever for one as because as far as they are concerned they have a valid topic.  Or vice versa if I tell the talker but not the listener, then the listener might eventually say ‘ hey, you haven’t asked me about the weather in days’ at which pointer the talker then says ‘you’re not allowed to talk about the weather’. Very basic example I have just come up with (hopefully it’s all correct, logically). With any client/server architecture it requires both sides to agree and implement the same set of rules. 

The problem comes when you have lots of systems made by different people all talking together and different people using different valid commands (think subjects you can talk about) in different ways. SMB 2 reduces the number of valid commands from SMB 1,to streamline the system (to make it faster). 

Developer A creates the system in the first place and understands it totally and knows how each bit works and has done a few nifty rarely used things as they allow the system to work as they want it to. But Dev A leaves after 2 years and Dev B takes their place. Dev B has a short overlap with Dev A and learns as much as they can about how the system works, they work adding cool bits to the system for 3 years, they use some parts of the system Dev A wrote in order to make some of their own bits work. But instead of re-writing the whole section of code again they tell the computer to go and use the code Dev A wrote. Dev C starts and Dev B teaches them everything they can think of about the code. Then Dev B leaves as they are emigrating to Aus. Then Dev C is asked to re-write the whole system from scratch because it needs updating. Dev C does it all, everything Dev B told them about. But the system stops unexpectedly every so often. 

Because C has reimplemented B’s code but B’s relied on A’s code which relied on a nifty function that is no longer valid. 

In order to test computer code you have to try as many routes through the code as you can come up with in the time you have. Sounds easy right ??? each decision has 2 outcomes A or B, 1 decision = 2 outcomes. So 2 decisions 4 outcomes (AA,AB,BA,BB) by 4 decisions you have already reached 16 outcomes (or paths through the code). This is a extremely simplified program. Every time a computer does something it has to make a decision which leads to thousands of paths through code. It’s easy when you look at it like this to see how a particular path got missed. Also if a test system already has other libraries etc on it, it can affect the validity of the test. Easy to do this by accident.

The hardware update made changes to the server side of the system, but possibly still relied on some older bits of the code (libraries etc) which were using old commands and the old app as still working from the old rules was happy to declare them valid so equals no problem. However the new app comes along and the updated server still carries on as it has, but now the new app says ‘you’re not allowed to say that’ when it tries to use the old commands.     

 

B
Userlevel 5
Badge +5

its good to see Play Next and Add to End of Queue Added in the latest update.  I believe “Play Now” is coming soon as well but are you bringing back a way to remove items from a queue, clearing the entire queuei, saving the queue as a playlist and rearranging the queue, preferably via drag and drop as you could in the old app.  Other than the two functions to build the queue I can’t actually manage the queue once an item is in the queue (even trying to use the play next function on an item in the queue, to move it, its not an option on things already in the queue, only when adding new items.

N
Userlevel 3
Badge

This CEO bloke is unreal

Sonos Wants to Get Off Your Shelf and Own Audio Everywhere | WIRED

“We built the new app from the ground up with a goal of delivering an experience that was easier to navigate.” FAIL

“It enables us to evolve the app faster” FAIL

“I would argue it's the hardest, and scariest, thing for companies to re-invent something that's working,” FAIL or PASS, dk, dc

 

D

Updated the app today and having the same lagging / dropping out issues when playing from my Apple Music library. 

M
Userlevel 2
Badge

Just updated to latest version of app on the iPad.

iPad Pro (1st gen) v iOS 16.7.8… same issue. Trueplay will not proceed past “begin tuning”. Reluctant to update iPhone from old version… no turning back if I do.

H

Hello, my roam in early june android system latest version caused trueplay function can not be enabled, hope to repair as soon as possible.

H

Just updated to latest version of app on the iPad.

iPad Pro (1st gen) v iOS 16.7.8… same issue. Trueplay will not proceed past “begin tuning”. Reluctant to update iPhone from old version… no turning back if I do.

II'm in the same situation. I'm Android.

SarahN
Userlevel 7
Badge +14

its good to see Play Next and Add to End of Queue Added in the latest update.  I believe “Play Now” is coming soon as well but are you bringing back a way to remove items from a queue, clearing the entire queuei, saving the queue as a playlist and rearranging the queue, preferably via drag and drop as you could in the old app.  Other than the two functions to build the queue I can’t actually manage the queue once an item is in the queue (even trying to use the play next function on an item in the queue, to move it, its not an option on things already in the queue, only when adding new items.

I would also like to see a way to edit an existing playlist or queue. Cannot see that option yet in the new app even though we can now add stuff to the end of a queue.

Can you have too many Sonos speakers? 🤔 😆
S
Userlevel 5
Badge +9

its good to see Play Next and Add to End of Queue Added in the latest update.  I believe “Play Now” is coming soon as well but are you bringing back a way to remove items from a queue, clearing the entire queuei, saving the queue as a playlist and rearranging the queue, preferably via drag and drop as you could in the old app.  Other than the two functions to build the queue I can’t actually manage the queue once an item is in the queue (even trying to use the play next function on an item in the queue, to move it, its not an option on things already in the queue, only when adding new items.

I would also like to see a way to edit an existing playlist or queue. Cannot see that option yet in the new app even though we can now add stuff to the end of a queue.

 

There’s a lot of features to come. I haven’t been able to test it yet but the latest dotdot release will get me back to my usual habits I think. The rest of my wants are relative minor and I can wait on those. 

"I saw the Stooges and the MC5"
L

We set out to create a more personalized and effortless listening experience with the updated Sonos app. It was rebuilt from the ground up to ensure it could support future innovation in the years to come. For its initial rollout, we focused on how we could answer some of the most common requests from our customers, including increased reliability, performance, and faster access to music.


Many of you have shared valuable feedback on both the improvements that have made your experience better, as well as the areas where we fell short. We are listening to all of your comments and working to address them as quickly as possible. Over the coming weeks, we will reintroduce the below features, while fixing bugs and performance issues. Thank you for your engagement and we look forward to building upon this first step to create a listening experience that meets everyone’s needs.
 

 

Available now

To access these changes, check for updates in the iOS / Android app store to download the latest version of the Sonos app. Make sure your Sonos products are also up to date.

Last updated: Jun 4, 2024. See release notes.

 

  • Improved playback settings including “Play next,” “add to end of queue,” and on iOS, the mute button
  • Improved product setup, Bluetooth discovery and WiFi settings
  • Added sleep timer settings
  • Improved Trueplay setup on iOS
  • Introduced distance settings for home theater surrounds
  • Improved navigation for users who are blind or visually-impaired 
  • Added VoiceOver support for toast messages on iOS


 

Coming soon

  • Continued improvements to navigation for visually-impaired customers: mid-June
  • Playback controls including mute and volume numbers: June
  • Local music library search and playback: mid-June
  • Improved playback settings including Play Now: July
  • Create and edit local music library: July
  • Improved Autoplay settings: July
  • Improved Sub audio settings with Amp: July
  • Snooze alarms: TBD



 

Known issues and workarounds


"Sign in as the System Owner" error while updating products during setup

  • Workaround: No workaround currently available.

 

Our latest update resolves some of the most critical known issues, but know we have more to do. We hear your feedback and are working hard to deliver the experience you expect and deserve.

What's about the widget? (Android)

L

Still miss the widget (Android). Not even listed above 😫

C
Userlevel 2

The latest app update (June 4) is asking me to agree to updated Terms of Use. I would normally just agree automatically but my confidence that Sonos won’t try and screw me over has been more than a little shaken recently

 

Does anyone, Sonos, anyone, know what has changed that they  are asking us to agree to?

 

Thanks

U

Can’t control my Roam from the Sonos (S2) app (iPad/iPhone). Haven’t been able to since the new app was launched - except for a couple of hours after factory resetting the Roam, then it went back to not being controllable.

I can control the Roam from the Windows app and via https://play.sonos.com/. I can also control it using the API from Home Assistant, just not from Sonos’ own app (and yes, the app and the system are updated to latest version).

I have a bunch of Sonos products, have been using Sonos since my first purchase in 2012. I have recommended Sonos to anyone that would listen, and I kept my mouth shut, in spite of the inconvenience, when S1 was replaced by S2. But not being able to control - in the recommended way - a Sonos product with Sonos’ own app? This is ridiculous. 

John Guarr
Userlevel 4
Badge +5

its good to see Play Next and Add to End of Queue Added in the latest update.  I believe “Play Now” is coming soon as well but are you bringing back a way to remove items from a queue, clearing the entire queuei, saving the queue as a playlist and rearranging the queue, preferably via drag and drop as you could in the old app.  Other than the two functions to build the queue I can’t actually manage the queue once an item is in the queue (even trying to use the play next function on an item in the queue, to move it, its not an option on things already in the queue, only when adding new items.

I would also like to see a way to edit an existing playlist or queue. Cannot see that option yet in the new app even though we can now add stuff to the end of a queue.

I just upgraded to the newest IOS version and can’t find Play Next and Add to End of Queue. I thought that queue editing was coming out in mid-June.  I am confused. And for some reason, maybe it’s just me being very critical, but my Sonos Beam, which is connected directly to my Sony TV’s eHDMI port, sounds a little tinny, or hollow. I tried turning up the base with no change. Is it possible that I need to do a TruePlay process. I’m hearing that that does not still work, even though that appears to be highlighted when I go into that menu. 

S

I have been a Sonos customer from the start and in recent years have had nothing but problems, mainly system drop outs, missing speakers etc where the advice has been get a PhD in IP networking and go figure.  I agree with the strategy of rebuilding the app from scratch but it is not right to release it with so many bugs and such limited functionality. My experience so far is it is slow, takes 10 seconds or so to display the song being played, changing volume again has a similar lag.  Grouping speakers there’s a lag.  I move back through a queue and previous song continues on some speakers new song starts on others. I hate to moan, but I have invested a lot in Sonos kit, at times I’ve felt pressured to do so to keep a working system, I still miss my Play 5’s.  Oh and the Idagio integration is very flaky. I suggest bite the bullet provide a roll back to S2 and work on the new app for a launch later in the year. Bizarrely I am now grateful to have S2 still on my Mac… 

John Guarr
Userlevel 4
Badge +5

The latest app update (June 4) is asking me to agree to updated Terms of Use. I would normally just agree automatically but my confidence that Sonos won’t try and screw me over has been more than a little shaken recently

 

Does anyone, Sonos, anyone, know what has changed that they  are asking us to agree to?

 

Thanks

I reluctantly did perform the upgrade yesterday, it took a while and my devices were all flashing during the process. after that, I was still able to play the last song that was in my Sunroom queue, Schurbert’s Serenade for Strings and was able to just put my head back and enjoy the music. But I started going through the menus and found that when you select a room, using my iPad, if you click on the bottom left, which looks like folders or pages, it finally showed all the songs that were in my current playlist. That is one change that I found. But couldn’t find much more. I which these songs, showed the album picture instead of just musical notes. I would make it easier to locate various songs. 

My Alexa 7:30 pm alarm has been working each evening, even though I read about Alexa problems. 
 

Moderator Note: Removed duplicate posts*

OIC1971
Userlevel 2
Badge +1

Widget for Android devices - WHEN will this be back?!

It's mentioned nowhere, which isn't good enough! 

It's a core functionality of the everyday user experience, and must be prioritised as such.

J
Userlevel 2
Badge +1

“Added sleep timer settings “ annoncé pour le 4 juin !!!!

 

MAIS absent de la mise à jour !!!!!!!

A

We set out to create a more personalized and effortless listening experience with the updated Sonos app. It was rebuilt from the ground up to ensure it could support future innovation in the years to come. For its initial rollout, we focused on how we could answer some of the most common requests from our customers, including increased reliability, performance, and faster access to music.


Many of you have shared valuable feedback on both the improvements that have made your experience better, as well as the areas where we fell short. We are listening to all of your comments and working to address them as quickly as possible. Over the coming weeks, we will reintroduce the below features, while fixing bugs and performance issues. Thank you for your engagement and we look forward to building upon this first step to create a listening experience that meets everyone’s needs.
 

 

Available now

To access these changes, check for updates in the iOS / Android app store to download the latest version of the Sonos app. Make sure your Sonos products are also up to date.

Last updated: Jun 4, 2024. See release notes.

 

  • Improved playback settings including “Play next,” “add to end of queue,” and on iOS, the mute button
  • Improved product setup, Bluetooth discovery and WiFi settings
  • Added sleep timer settings
  • Improved Trueplay setup on iOS
  • Introduced distance settings for home theater surrounds
  • Improved navigation for users who are blind or visually-impaired 
  • Added VoiceOver support for toast messages on iOS


 

Coming soon

  • Continued improvements to navigation for visually-impaired customers: mid-June
  • Playback controls including mute and volume numbers: June
  • Local music library search and playback: mid-June
  • Improved playback settings including Play Now: July
  • Create and edit local music library: July
  • Improved Autoplay settings: July
  • Improved Sub audio settings with Amp: July
  • Snooze alarms: TBD



 

Known issues and workarounds


"Sign in as the System Owner" error while updating products during setup

  • Workaround: No workaround currently available.

 

Our latest update resolves some of the most critical known issues, but know we have more to do. We hear your feedback and are working hard to deliver the experience you expect and deserve.

We set out to create a more personalized and effortless listening experience with the updated Sonos app. It was rebuilt from the ground up to ensure it could support future innovation in the years to come. For its initial rollout, we focused on how we could answer some of the most common requests from our customers, including increased reliability, performance, and faster access to music.


Many of you have shared valuable feedback on both the improvements that have made your experience better, as well as the areas where we fell short. We are listening to all of your comments and working to address them as quickly as possible. Over the coming weeks, we will reintroduce the below features, while fixing bugs and performance issues. Thank you for your engagement and we look forward to building upon this first step to create a listening experience that meets everyone’s needs.
 

 

Available now

To access these changes, check for updates in the iOS / Android app store to download the latest version of the Sonos app. Make sure your Sonos products are also up to date.

Last updated: Jun 4, 2024. See release notes.

 

  • Improved playback settings including “Play next,” “add to end of queue,” and on iOS, the mute button
  • Improved product setup, Bluetooth discovery and WiFi settings
  • Added sleep timer settings
  • Improved Trueplay setup on iOS
  • Introduced distance settings for home theater surrounds
  • Improved navigation for users who are blind or visually-impaired 
  • Added VoiceOver support for toast messages on iOS


 

Coming soon

  • Continued improvements to navigation for visually-impaired customers: mid-June
  • Playback controls including mute and volume numbers: June
  • Local music library search and playback: mid-June
  • Improved playback settings including Play Now: July
  • Create and edit local music library: July
  • Improved Autoplay settings: July
  • Improved Sub audio settings with Amp: July
  • Snooze alarms: TBD



 

Known issues and workarounds


"Sign in as the System Owner" error while updating products during setup

  • Workaround: No workaround currently available.

 

Our latest update resolves some of the most critical known issues, but know we have more to do. We hear your feedback and are working hard to deliver the experience you expect and deserve.

When are we going to get the ability to edit the queue by dragging songs up and down?

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