New SONOS app: many features no longer available!

U
Userlevel 6
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Think twice before you install the new SONOS app as at least the following features are no longer available (temporarily or permanently):

  • Sleeptimer has disappeared completely. Either you sleep the entire night with music on or you wake up to switch off the music… Quite defeats the purpose.
  • Alarms: creating and editing an alarm is no longer possible. You can only toggle an existing alarm on and off.
  • Local music library: make sure you don’t remove it as it is no longer possible to add a local music library stored on a NAS or shared device. Also the search doesn’t work on the local library any longer; it only searches the online music services. Sonos seems to have finally let down its initial user population that made Sonos big before music streaming services existed…

Either this is a deliberate choice by Sonos to reduce the functionality or someone validated a pre-beta release for production to meet some preset deadlines… In any case, don’t upgrade if you need these features.

170 replies

P

Adding a Sonos library seems to be something they plan to bring back.  Shouldn’t have gone really:
https://support.sonos.com/en-gb/article/use-a-nas-drive-with-sonos

“Sonos app version 80.0
This setting is not currently available in the Sonos app for iOS or Android, but it will return in a future update.

As a temporary workaround, please use the Sonos app for macOS or Windows to manage and update your music library.”

 

H
Userlevel 4
Badge +2

Missing features :

  • adding things to the current playlist (without removing everything else)
  • saving the current playlist as a new or an existing playlist

Harder : changing the sound of only one speaker when in a group

I’m back to the previous version and blocking future updates. Let's hope something will be done fast.

How did you get back to former version? Sonos support told me a few hours ago that this is not possible. I would be quite interested considering what a crime the new app is!

Bumper
Userlevel 7
Badge +14

Missing features :

  • adding things to the current playlist (without removing everything else)
  • saving the current playlist as a new or an existing playlist

Harder : changing the sound of only one speaker when in a group

I’m back to the previous version and blocking future updates. Let's hope something will be done fast.

How did you get back to former version? Sonos support told me a few hours ago that this is not possible. I would be quite interested considering what a crime the new app is!

On Android this is possible. iOS not possible.

H
Userlevel 4
Badge +2

The Update is a “RUSH JOB!” - I can only think someone’s finger slipped too early on pressing the RELEASE button. Sonos App Development better have plans to put the Timer, Alarm and Local Music Library features back in! This should’ve been a BETA release!

Come on Sonos! Please don’t only just listen to your customer base, act on it too. Thanks.

I do not think Sonos is listening to their consumers… they haven’t for quite some time now, and this new phase (app) looks pretty much like a  suicidal move by a business that has totally lost it …

H
Userlevel 4
Badge +2

Missing features :

  • adding things to the current playlist (without removing everything else)
  • saving the current playlist as a new or an existing playlist

Harder : changing the sound of only one speaker when in a group

I’m back to the previous version and blocking future updates. Let's hope something will be done fast.

How did you get back to former version? Sonos support told me a few hours ago that this is not possible. I would be quite interested considering what a crime the new app is!

On Android this is possible. iOS not possible.

Ha, one more mischief by Sonos then (and one more illustration of how premature the release of this new version is compared to its level of development. Amazing. Thanks anyway for your answer. 

J
Userlevel 1

Really bad. This is a company that can't afford a blunder like this. Couldn't set a sleep timer last night when I went to bed. Didn't get a snooze button when my alarm went off this morning. I immediately uninstalled the new app, downloaded the old one from APK mirror on my Android phone and disabled auto updates of that app. Do better!

 

I can't even imagine how mad I would be if I invested the time and effort to set up a local music library on my network. 

L
Userlevel 1

This is ridiculous. I work graveyard shifts. I literally rely on my super loud Sonos alarms to wake up otherwise I stay asleep. Now I’m laying here, just super irritated that my alarms are GONE on the iOS Sonos app. Thousands and thousands of dollars dropped into this ecosystem, and they repay me with this lazy and completely irresponsible app update? Awesome. Take away my features. Thanks Sonos. 😭

F
Userlevel 1
Badge

You can get the old app back (on Android at least). Just download the Sonos 16.1 APK from a multitude of places, APK Pure, APK Mirror etc. Uninstall this travesty and install the old one from the APK

M
Userlevel 2

Really??? Sonos are you crazy?

You removed two of the most important features of my paid Sonos products without any warnings or hints.

This is not only very hideous but also very illegal in the EU and borders to fraud.

By releasing a not even Beta-worthy version you made me rethink my multi-thousand Euro investment in the Sonos-ecosystem.

Either you stand to the Error and revert to old S2 app to plan a propper restart or deliver the missing feature within DAYS (not weeks or even months).

  • Main Flaw #1: MISSING ALARM TIMER 
  • Main Flaw #2: MISSING SLEEP TIMER

Let me be clear: i work as CTO and Chief Software Developer for over 30 years. I fully understand the problems and needs of software development at this scale. The more i am flubbergusted and perplexed how on earth such a misserable state of the code had been released as production-ready.

And instead of clear and consice communication when the miserable state was detected, the marketing machine switches to overdrive.

 

E

This new app sucks.  Where did all the features go to?  It’s not even any faster.  Where is the personal music?  I have all Sonos.  Why break it if it’s already great?  Come on Sonos.

F
Userlevel 3
Badge

Have Sonos released any feedback yet? At least to say they have acknowledged there mistake and will fix it. 

M
Userlevel 1

Just spoke to customer service and I believe they kind of acknowledge that these features are missing and frustrating many users. They mention that a future update will revert these features.

 

H
Userlevel 4
Badge +2

Really bad. This is a company that can't afford a blunder like this. Couldn't set a sleep timer last night when I went to bed. Didn't get a snooze button when my alarm went off this morning. I immediately uninstalled the new app, downloaded the old one from APK mirror on my Android phone and disabled auto updates of that app. Do better!

 

I can't even imagine how mad I would be if I invested the time and effort to set up a local music library on my network. 

Well I could tell you a bit: I have more tja. 2500 albums in my library… thanks so much Sonos …

N
Userlevel 1

To anyone at the decision-making level at Sonos:

  1. Bring back sleep timer
  2. bring back ability to create and edit alarms

Please!!

 

BennyB0Y
Userlevel 3
Badge +2

Have Sonos released any feedback yet? At least to say they have acknowledged there mistake and will fix it. 

We're all still waiting as far as I can see. 🙁

BennyB0Y
Userlevel 3
Badge +2

Really bad. This is a company that can't afford a blunder like this. Couldn't set a sleep timer last night when I went to bed. Didn't get a snooze button when my alarm went off this morning. I immediately uninstalled the new app, downloaded the old one from APK mirror on my Android phone and disabled auto updates of that app. Do better!

 

I can't even imagine how mad I would be if I invested the time and effort to set up a local music library on my network. 

Well I could tell you a bit: I have more tja. 2500 albums in my library… thanks so much Sonos …

Typical..... WHY do they [SONOS] do that thing where they just take out the key features people mainly use? It's like Elon Musk removing the wheels, engine and the battery from a Tesla! 

U
Userlevel 7
Badge +2

Just spoke to customer service and I believe they kind of acknowledge that these features are missing and frustrating many users. They mention that a future update will revert these features.

 

“In the coming weeks”

 

NOT.  ACCEPTABLE.

BennyB0Y
Userlevel 3
Badge +2

Just spoke to customer service and I believe they kind of acknowledge that these features are missing and frustrating many users. They mention that a future update will revert these features.

 

“In the coming weeks”

 

NOT.  ACCEPTABLE.

Thanks for sharing this. Here's hoping they get a move on with that update! 

O

Ah the ens***tification of a service has hit us once more. It’s the natural course for every good service these days. 

Moderator Note: Modified in accordance with the Community Code of Conduct.

BennyB0Y
Userlevel 3
Badge +2

Come on SONOS...... Hit the "revert" button. Give us back what once worked so well. Work on the kinks of the new app, beta test it..... then release, eh? 

P

How to remove the new app and reinstall the old version ?

T
Userlevel 1

Bring back the Sleep Timer.

SONOS had been an integral part of the household - if we can't have the sleep timers back they just become ‘Speakers’

M
Userlevel 2

How to remove the new app and reinstall the old version ?

On iOS: no way to go back.

on Android possible with apk from „backup“. But i would not recommend to do so.

 

if Sonos says „WEEKs“… COMPLETLEY UNACCEPTABLE!!!

sonos has to accept they have released a total mess and that only an IMMEDIATE revert to the pre-80 version as an intermediate 80.0.4.1 Version will stop the messing around with paying customers.

That will give them some time for fixing and re-testing it again.

Under no circumstances is „a few weeks“ an accepable timeframe!!!

T
Userlevel 1

Finally done with Sonos. Worse and worse performance. Cost not justified and limited faith that products have any longevity. Removing alarm function is the final straw. 
 

review of alternatives commencing now…

S
Badge

Been a customer for years and spent thousands on Sonos.  This app is unusable for me, can’t even set a sleep timer for the Audible integration, and it’s missing so many basic features from the previous version of the app.  I will no longer be a Sonos customer nor spend another £1 on their products.  Switching to another ecosystem, and just in time as I’m moving houses.  Won’t be recommending Sonos to anyone anymore and will update those I had just given positive feedback.  I’ll check back in future to see if the app is usable again.

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