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Windows 10 Controller


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Do you have plans to ship a Windows 10 Store app which can be used from multiple Windows devices (PC, Phone, Xbox) to control the Sonos experience?

We are a Windows household and the desktop controller that exists for PC today is heavy and not very touch friendly. The third party Windows Phone app, Phonos, is fills a void, but not nearly as feature rich as the Android or iOS app. This has been requested for several years (https://en.community.sonos.com/controllers-software-228995/support-windows-8-rt-for-surface-tablet-and-windows-phone-8-for-mobile-devices-4593709) and the product management team does not address this gap beyond a blanket we have no news statement. I understand that choices have to be made. If you do not plan to address this in the net 12 months then can you at least make your API public with your apps being first and best examples of how to use that API so others can fill the gap for you?

Instead of a lot of "+1" and "me too" threads please show your support by voting on the poll below so we can get a count of the number of people who are interested in a Windows 10 app.
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Best answer by Kenneth R 15 April 2016, 19:05

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Would you use a Windows 10 Sonos controller app?


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I have a question, are we ever going to get an official Yes/No reply on this. I mean it's been 3 painful years of Sonos flip-flopping around like a dead fish on this...


Hi Nutterguy,

It's our company policy not to comment on possible future features and products. While we can note your interest in new features such as a Windows Phone controller, we can't officially comment on them.
this is a thread for people who want a windows app. if you are one of those people who don't... go away. your opinion is not constructive, or welcome to us who do. why do you think you have the right to tell us we should not ask for something we want. you should stop putting you nose in where its not wanted. I am fed up with windows bashers, trolling the web looking for somewhere to "have a voice". more than happy for you to be droids or apple fans, but just go so it somewhere else where you are welcome.
simple facts are...
1) I would like a Sonos system, but will not buy one, UNTIL there is a windows app! and one that supports Microsoft Groove.
so there is £2500 that Sonos is not getting from me! 10 more people like me world wide and that would pay for any DEV/support costs.
2) there clearly is a sustainable market for a windows app seeing as controlAV has one! isn't it embarrassing for Sonos that a third party is doing what they aren't?
3) competition is hotting up, windows 10 phone/Xbox is coming, it will only take someone like Bose to write a cheap app, and Sonos will end up loosing out, possibly never to recover.
4) security holes being exposed on iOS and Android, about to go nuclear... so you might want to think about what that might mean!
When will Sonos release a Windows 10 app?
I have not read all of the threads in this topic, but like a lot of other people I would love a Windows Phone app. According to Microsoft it should be possible to port both Android and iOS Apps to Windows Phone 10. I guess it is just a question of when Windows Phone 10 will be released and hopefully shortly after Microsoft's compiler (or whatever they are called) for Apps will be available for developers.

I don't really care about the poll at the beginning of this thread (Yes I did vote FOR the app). But we have to remember that most users (being Android, iOS, Windows Phone, Sonos or what ever) do not participate in forums like this.

To be hornost the reason I ended up buying my Sonos is that it supported a Music source that my internet provider gives me for free. That meant that I could access a lot of music for free. The competitors didn't (and still dont) support that music source.
I'd love a proper touch designed controller for my Surface Pro 3 running Windows 10 please.
Windows Mobile has a market share of 2-3 %, according to http://www.idc.com/prodserv/smartphone-os-market-share.jsp . It is not very economical to create a Sonos client for such a small minority. As Windows Mobile user, you should be aware of that and should have been aware before you purchased such a device.

my god i do not be leave you say this. So we do not have the rights to say something abut a SONOS app because we are a minority.
A Windows Phone user, is fully aware of that developers are not willing to make all the apps available on windows phone. But buying a android phone because i do not have a sonos app is more idiot then your pathetic talk.

Improving the Android and iOS client will reach way more people than a Windows client.
On your desktop you can use the desktop controller. Touchscreen Windows devices are still a minority as well, albeit possibly rising in number.
Maybe the whole situation will change with Windows 10, I would not yet count on it.


Basically SONOS did already wrote a windows phone app. only they do not release it. in January 2015 they starting with a app phish Alpha.
Many folks posting replies here... are going "off-topic" (topic is Windows 10 Sonos Controller...which focuses on needs for desktop/laptop controller in Windows 10 OS environment). Comments about Windows phone, iOS, Android ... while interesting and even insightful... are "off-topic". We need a Windows 10 Sonos Controller app... and the PC market is HUGE for that set of users.

As soon as Sonos notifies me they have finally "woken-up" and created a Sonos Controller native to Windows 10... I will download & use it!...!!!


i do not think you understand windows 10. Windows 10 is a os which can run on more then a computer and has apps that can run on all devices. So Windows Phone with windows 10 is relevant.
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Hi,

I, used to post on and follow the Windows 8, RT and Phone, thread. Even started a new Windows 10 thread, which was then merged with the formentioned thread by Sonos.

There has been some talk about a developer version. There has been some talk about the Windows 10 universal app's? So.....

Q: any news regarding a WIndows 10 app?




Does the old Sonos remote still exist? Does it work with the new Play 5? Does the new Play 5 use 802.11AC?
I have bought one Sonos to see if it was fine. Few weeks later my iphone was broken and I got a windows phone.
As, when I asked Sonos for a windows App, I got their stupid answer "...not comment on current or future development.." andI didn't buy any more Sonos equipment and really I think I will sell it on ebay and buy another stuff that will decently support several phones OS.
I have bought one Sonos to see if it was fine. Few weeks later my iphone was broken and I got a windows phone.
As, when I asked Sonos for a windows App, I got their stupid answer "...not comment on current or future development.." andI didn't buy any more Sonos equipment and really I think I will sell it on ebay and buy another stuff that will decently support several phones OS.


I'm afraid no multi-room streaming systems support Windows Phone at this time.
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I have a question, are we ever going to get an official Yes/No reply on this. I mean it's been 3 painful years of Sonos flip-flopping around like a dead fish on this...


Hi Nutterguy,

It's our company policy not to comment on possible future features and products. While we can note your interest in new features such as a Windows Phone controller, we can't officially comment on them.


Please! Least you guys can do is share something on this. Again it's been 3 years since the original thread!

You know, when it was just mobile I kinda got why you weren't interested. Market share for WP is poor, we all know that (though WP10 IMO far surpasses both iOS and Android). But with Windows 10 and universal apps, this opens up the potential user base ten fold! And with your recent tie in to Groove, I'd have expected this to be next on your 'to do' list.
I would like to see a windows app and I don't own a windows smartphone and never have any intention of buying one. I do however want to use windows 10 touchscreen PCs or tablets for home automation control around my house and the current windows client just isn't right for this.

As has been said before its not really a question of making a brand new app for a low market share phone, its about updating the windows application to take advantage of the new universal app model. I already use both an iPad and an android phone for control but would love to use windows as well.
I find it interesting that people are quoting market share and accepting mediocre response to the market of devices. What if there was an issue with the latest iphone that was not getting sorted I am sure the sheep would show their fangs. This is the entire reason why people even use Sonos. There are basically 7 platforms you need to support PC, MAC, Linux, Android, blackberry, and windows phone/surface. Sonos this is why we pay you the big bucks. Get it done and keep up with the market! If there is market share to put phone hardware on the market then you are on the hook or come up with a the app.
There is an awful lot of hate for the layout of the mobile apps, which I honestly can't even comprehend. The computer application is abysmally unintuitive, and the android version of the Sonos app is miraculous. So much so in fact that I installed the android apk on windows 10. The old app, that everyone appears to swear by, looks like real player back in the windows xp days. It's terrible.
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There is an awful lot of hate for the layout of the mobile apps, which I honestly can't even comprehend. The computer application is abysmally unintuitive, and the android version of the Sonos app is miraculous. So much so in fact that I installed the android apk on windows 10. The old app, that everyone appears to swear by, looks like real player back in the windows xp days. It's terrible.

I disagree. The Windows 10 app is perfectly fine.
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The Windows 10 app is perfectly fine.

I'm guessing you don't have a touchscreen. The Desktop app is pretty terrible to use with your fingers. Which is why I wrote my app, go try it form the Store for free. (I cant post a link, its not hard to find).
I'm a cross platform guy with both Mac/iOS/AppleTV and Windows/Xbox/WindowsMobile stuff, but recently I've been drawn towards some pretty great action on the Windows side of the aisle. 10 has actually been quite a revelation. 8 and 8.1 were amazingly bad examples of directionless design- by-committee. 10 seems to have a bunch of problems fixed, including the app-gap with 10 Mobile. As I recently bought my wife a Lumia 950 and am currently waiting an a dual sim 950XL myself (I love having my business line and personal line on the same phone), I really hope Sonos will see to it to transition their app to a universal app. There is no reason we shouldn't be able to have something that works well across all our potential 10 devices, including Xbox, Mobile, tablet, and desktop. Microsoft has made it relatively painless, so I hope Sonos will make it a reality soon.
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The Windows 10 app is perfectly fine.

I'm guessing you don't have a touchscreen. The Desktop app is pretty terrible to use with your fingers. Which is why I wrote my app, go try it form the Store for free. (I cant post a link, its not hard to find).


You just guessed wrong. My screen is touch screen activated but I've yet to find anything I do that is easier or better on my all in one PC using a touchscreen rather than a mouse.
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[quote=Jeff S][quote=nutterguy]
Hi Nutterguy,

It's our company policy not to comment on possible future features and products. While we can note your interest in new features such as a Windows Phone controller, we can't officially comment on them.


I understand that you can´t comment on specific features and products. But I do think you should be able to communicate a roadmap for OS support.

Several people in the thread are missing the point with a Windows 10 app.
Today we have a Windows x86 app that works on Windows 10. That is true. However this app lacks touch support.

If you develop an app for Windows 10 you would make an “Universal Windows App”. The universal apps works on all Windows 10, PC, Phone, Xbox. With only one line of code it is possible to adjust for screen size (PC vs Phone). This means that the number of 2-3% market share is incorrect. With one application you can target way over 110 million devices (110 is the number of Windows 10 installations a month ago), phone, tablets, PCs and Xbox. Only one codebase to maintain.

Develop once, run on many.

A quick look at UWAP…
https://blogs.windows.com/buildingapps/2015/03/02/a-first-look-at-the-windows-10-universal-app-platform/
I understand that you can´t comment on specific features and products. But I do think you should be able to communicate a roadmap for OS support.



Translation: I understand your company policy is to not comment on future features/products, but I feel you should make an exception of that policy for something that is important to me! :rolleyes:
you guys need to step on it with this app. I've been following this thread for about 6 months. basically since the windows 10 release. the lack of an app on the windows platform is currently stopping me and my partner purchasing the sonos sytem. after recently buying my own house, we are now sonos-less (my parents had a large sonos system). get it sorted!!!!
the lack of an app on the windows platform is currently stopping me and my partner purchasing the sonos sytem
Eh? There's not a Win10-specific Metro style app, but there's a perfectly serviceable Desktop Controller which supports "Windows® XP SP3 or higher, Windows Vista™, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 10". http://www.sonos.com/support
thanks for clarifying that, but when I'm in the lounge my phone and xbox are what I use primarily (both windows). I wouldn't have commented if my desktop was my primary controller. thanks anyway. we used to use a communal ipad at my parents, which is why I'm now having troubles.

the lack of an app on the windows platform is currently stopping me and my partner purchasing the sonos sytem
Eh? There's not a Win10-specific Metro style app, but there's a perfectly serviceable Desktop Controller which supports "Windows® XP SP3 or higher, Windows Vista™, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 10". http://www.sonos.com/support
when I'm in the lounge my phone and xbox are what I use primarily (both windows). I wouldn't have commented if my desktop was my primary controller. thanks anyway. we used to use a communal ipad at my parents, which is why I'm now having troubles.
No-one knows when or if Sonos will release an app for Windows 10 Mobile. In the meantime, why not simply get a cheap Android tablet and use that in lieu of the 'communal iPad'? At least you'd no longer be Sonos-less.
No-one knows when or if Sonos will release an app for Windows 10 Mobile. In the meantime, why not simply get a cheap Android tablet and use that in lieu of the 'communal iPad'? At least you'd no longer be Sonos-less.

Yeah I could do. It's annoying that id have to do that though. I think id feel stupid spending more money to try and make someone else's product work well. Especially when I can just plug my phone into an aux 4m away. Sonos is more of a luxury than a necessity for me. I'd be amazed if they didn't bring an app out though, with all the changes Microsoft is making. We shall see!