Right in that Wired article Sonos states on no uncertain terms they are not moving to a subscription model.  That article is so full of click-bait, they had to print a disclaimer. 

For many users like myself, there are very minor issues that have not made my system unusable. I had a

mi or volume issue in May, but lately everything has worked well.

Users who are still having problems with connectivity may need to have a closer look at their networks/routers and follow Sonos’ guidelines for the best experience.

Although I am quoted in that article, I never said I thought they were going to a subscription, that was the author’s claim. I did, and still, wonder why Sonos have put us all through the hell of the app change though.

I think there would be a bit of backlash if the pitch became: “If we move to a subscription model, then we’ll fix things”.

The app is almost unusable, as has been said above. I can’t believe that Sonos would take this long to fix obvious and glaring issues with performance. I am at a point where I may have to find an alternative- guess the $1000+ in Sonos speakers I have goes down the drain. Never again. 

Personally don’t think that they will go to a subscription model unless it is for some value-added services (famous last words). As they are still struggling to reinstate basic services that they had before i suspect that we’re still some way off that…

However, what I do think this could add up to is them wanting to monetise their/ our data. I am in no way an expert in thing software-related but it seems like things have been rejigged to give Sonos more insight into what people are listening to/ when/ etc. That coupled with the change to their service/ licence agreement that also happened screams out ‘ we really, really, really want to sell your data’

I could well be wrong but yet to hear a convincing argument against it (other than that they may have already been doing it!)

I’ve officially given up on Sonos.  The software problems made my Sonos system (9 pieces) unusable, with unexplained dropouts persisting after looong calls with Sonos and various wired/wireless permutations.  I’m done with closed ecosystems.  I’ll keep a Playbar in a guest bedroom, but am replacing the rest.

I now subscribe to Roon as my front end.  I replaced a Connect with a WiiM streamer, and two Play 5’s set up as L/R with a WiiM amp and small Martin-Logan speakers.  The WiiM is a far better streamer than the Connect, and, at pretty much the price of a single Play 5, the small system sounds far better than the pair of Play 5s.

Whereas the new Sonos App seems to be working okay here, but I guess different setups, hardware and Home networks can perhaps vary.

No way I’m giving up on Sonos, as the hardware is still excellent and their App is improving with each new update. Not that I’m against WiiM, or Roon, (far from it)  but I see those things as another string to a bow, rather than Sonos product replacements.