Skip to main content

New Sonos app - The worst ever

I am writing to express my frustration and disappointment with the latest update of your app. Since the update, I have encountered numerous issues that have severely disrupted my experience:

  1. Speaker Detection Issues: The app intermittently fails to detect my speakers. They appear and disappear at random, making it impossible to manage them effectively.
  2. Grouping Problems: When I try to split the music in one room from the group, the remaining speakers stop working and cannot be re-grouped. This has rendered the multi-room functionality unusable.
  3. Playback Failures: None of the speakers will play music after attempting to manage them through the app.
  4. App Connectivity: The app frequently loses connection with the speakers and is unable to detect them again.

Moreover, the support wait times are exceedingly long, often over 70 minutes, and the chat support has not been helpful in resolving these issues. This situation is unacceptable and has caused significant inconvenience.

I urge you to provide an option to revert to the previous version of the app until these critical bugs are resolved. Additionally, I would appreciate a more responsive and effective support system to address these urgent issues.

Thank you for your immediate attention to this matter.

207 replies

T
Userlevel 5
Badge

Literally the worst piece of software I’ve ever used. I’ve spent many thousands on Sonos products and they’re virtually useless. Class action imminent surely.

insanely insanely bad. 
fire someone

T
Userlevel 6
Badge

The new app is the worse, and I can’t control my +10 Sonos devices anymore. Please remove this worthless software from the App Store and go back and redo the development!!!

T
Userlevel 6
Badge

How do I downgrade to the previous version that works???

S
Userlevel 5
Badge

Literally the worst piece of software I’ve ever used. I’ve spent many thousands on Sonos products and they’re virtually useless. Class action imminent surely.

insanely insanely bad. 
fire someone

Couldn't agree more. Why try and fix something that isn't broken FFS. 

S
Userlevel 5
Badge

I am writing to express my frustration and disappointment with the latest update of your app. Since the update, I have encountered numerous issues that have severely disrupted my experience:

  1. Speaker Detection Issues: The app intermittently fails to detect my speakers. They appear and disappear at random, making it impossible to manage them effectively.
  2. Grouping Problems: When I try to split the music in one room from the group, the remaining speakers stop working and cannot be re-grouped. This has rendered the multi-room functionality unusable.
  3. Playback Failures: None of the speakers will play music after attempting to manage them through the app.
  4. App Connectivity: The app frequently loses connection with the speakers and is unable to detect them again.

Moreover, the support wait times are exceedingly long, often over 70 minutes, and the chat support has not been helpful in resolving these issues. This situation is unacceptable and has caused significant inconvenience.

I urge you to provide an option to revert to the previous version of the app until these critical bugs are resolved. Additionally, I would appreciate a more responsive and effective support system to address these urgent issues.

Thank you for your immediate attention to this matter.

I would love to know how this app got signed off before it went live? Utterly astounding! If I could return my Arc, 2 x Play 5 (3rd gen) my Sub and 2 x Sl Play 1s I would in a heart beat. 

R
Userlevel 3

There was probably a change of software development personnel or a change in protocols that at this time software quality control is very poor.

N
Userlevel 5
Badge +1

Please roll back to the previous version of the app ASAP. My system is completely unusable. I am close to replacing everything (I have seven rooms and an Arc+surrounds setup) because I literally cannot listen to music right now. This is unacceptable. 

I’ve been using Sonos since 2008. I have literally spent over $7K on sonos gear over the years. including replacing my full Sonos “original” setup with the gen 2 stuff. I am beyond livid at how little you care about your customers that you would push this absolute garbage on us. 

 

G
Userlevel 4
Badge

I am writing to express my frustration and disappointment with the latest update of your app. Since the update, I have encountered numerous issues that have severely disrupted my experience:

  1. Speaker Detection Issues: The app intermittently fails to detect my speakers. They appear and disappear at random, making it impossible to manage them effectively.
  2. Grouping Problems: When I try to split the music in one room from the group, the remaining speakers stop working and cannot be re-grouped. This has rendered the multi-room functionality unusable.
  3. Playback Failures: None of the speakers will play music after attempting to manage them through the app.
  4. App Connectivity: The app frequently loses connection with the speakers and is unable to detect them again.

Moreover, the support wait times are exceedingly long, often over 70 minutes, and the chat support has not been helpful in resolving these issues. This situation is unacceptable and has caused significant inconvenience.

I urge you to provide an option to revert to the previous version of the app until these critical bugs are resolved. Additionally, I would appreciate a more responsive and effective support system to address these urgent issues.

Thank you for your immediate attention to this matter.

Sonos has taken an app that worked well 85% of the time to one that is virtually unusable. I was looking at upgrading to the newest speakers (x8) but now considering dumping the system and going with something else if this isn’t resolved quickly.

B
Userlevel 4

I agree with everything I am reading about this so called “updated app”.  It is horrible to work with.  to add to each of those issues - I shut off the speaker in one of my rooms this morning and it stopped playing - I went back in that room 2 hours later and the speaker was playing again.  The app indicated “No Music”.  I couldn’t shut the muscle off - had to unplug the speaker.  I also have trouble adding my other rooms into the play group and/or removing them from the play group.  

Very embarrassing when family and friends are hanging out over the weekend and everyone keeps asking “what’s wrong with your speakers”?

Bring the new app back to the drawing board and give us access to the previous version. 

 

C
Userlevel 3

This update has literally rendered my system 8 components useless.  HELP!

 

Q
Userlevel 3
Badge

Useless piece of garbage.  I have the Sonos ultimate surround system (arc, two gen 3 subs, and two ERA 300) and I can’t use it to the full potential because of the freaking true play issue.  
Sonos need to freaking roll back to the version before this 80.xxx garbage.  

C
Userlevel 3

The new app is very poor indeed.  Service management, playlist management, volume control are absolutely terrible, among other little faults.  I hate it.  There was no need to update the app - “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”.

One of the key features - managing a playlist using different services - is lost.  There is now no point in owning Sonos products as I can stream from something else that will let me do this.

E
Userlevel 3

Made recent investment in Sonos amp, four outdoor speakers & two Fives.  Created the perfect indoor & outdoor experience.  Ever since the mobile app updated we’ve had such inconsistent results when trying to manage music for guests. It’s actually embarrassing to not have full control of you sound system.  I’m so sad!😞 

SONOS, PLEASE bring back the previous version or you’ll continue to self-implode!

btw, your customer service availability SUCKS too!

 


 

T
Userlevel 4
Badge

This is my third message - wtf is this piece of garbage app. Omg. Put the old app back immediately. Like everyone else who is a loyal client of Sonos, I have spent thousands, and I may as well hadn’t. I cannot control any room independently. My beam will not even connect. Whoever sanctioned this app needs firing. You will lose the people that rave about your system. Currently, your amazing speakers are redundant. Bring back the old app. Please see the pattern in your clients comments. 

G
Userlevel 3

Is there any sort of resolution on the horizion for this upgrade issue?????

 

Sonos........Hello?......Anybody?…

 

I have called support 3 different times of the day and wait times range from 50 to 70 min.

 

Come on guys , fix this pls 🙏 

M
Userlevel 3

Totally agree - this new app is absolutely terrible.  It feels like every aspect has been downgraded, especially system management/connectivity and volume control.  PLEASE REVERT BACK TO THE OLD VERSION!!!  I was planning on continuing to build out my Sonos system but won’t buy another product until this issue is resolved!!  Glad to see I’m not the only one feeling frustrated.

A
Userlevel 3

The new Sonos App is absolutely terrible and urgently needs to be rolled back.

I can not believe that a company like Sonos can roll out such a bad and poorly tested, fundamental component of the system.

The best way to redeem yourselves is to admit that this has been a disaster and immediately roll back.

C
Userlevel 2

I joined this community to get help. What I’ve found is everyone’s complaints! Don’t get me wrong, they are valid, but where can one go to get help? If one leaves a complaint, can one also leave something helpful to the community? I’ll start. 
 I’m in the same situation as BeakerB33 wrote.  Calling Sonos and waiting 70+ minutes is useless. 
The steps customer support gave me are the following, and it worked short term but then when I came back to watch TV (with Sonos system) I had the same issues. 
1. he had me do a full rest of my beam.  TV is off.  Might be good to note 95% of my sonos usage is to listen to the TV throughout my home. This step he proposed terrified me as I’ve read that some folks are experiencing the app not recognizing the speaker(s), so proceed with caution if you opt to try this step. It was a full unplug both the power and arc hdmi cable while holding the button that has a “8” symbol.  Waited a few minutes then wanted me to continue holding that button while I simultaneously plugged the power in. 
2. once the beam came back up, he had me hold the 8 button until it was flashing green. 
3.  He asked me to plug in the arc hdmi cable. 
4. then we went through the Sonos set up. 
5.  Sonos beam did work again, as soon as it came back up. 
6. I asked to add speakers and as soon as we did this the beam went silent. 
7. He had me delete a group (which I’m not sure how it got set up, I use speakers independently depending on which room I’m working in) at any rate, we deleted the group, went back to the TV Source showing up with the beam and added additional speakers   They all came on.

This took 1 hour and 40 min of my time, (4th time since the app updated) and unfortunately when I came home from work, had the same issue.  Out of frustration I just left the speakers on, the beam was working with the TV sound and at some point the speakers came on out of no where! But then one would go off, and then come back on, similar to what others have described.

im not sure any of us will be able to fix our systems. This feels like a fundamental failure in the app’s software programming.  So until the developers release an app update, I think we have to live with this and hobble by with moments of the system working?

If anyone has any constructive fixes, I’d appreciate the opportunity to learn and give it a try, of course knowing that self help can sometimes make a matter worse! Ha!

 

 

jgatie

You aren’t going to get a rollback.  Sonos released the app half-baked in order to get the headphones out before the end of the fiscal year.  A rollback would mean not only did they admit a screw up (and it was a screw up), but they would have to cancel the headphones release, missing out on the projected income.  So a rollback just ain’t happening, might as well stop asking for one.

A
Userlevel 3

Dear jgatie,

Thank you for the insight into link to the headphones product but at present, I disagree with you about a rollback not happening. The self destruction of the Sonos brand around the world can be a very powerful motivator and technical solutions are always possible. Previously we had the simultaneous S1 and S2 versions of the App and right now we could probably do with the old S2 (that worked) and perhaps a new S3 supporting the new headphones so that most of us can use the old S2 until the S3 (with headphone support) is salvaged?

 

jgatie

Dear jgatie,

Thank you for the insight into link to the headphones product but at present, I disagree with you about a rollback not happening. The self destruction of the Sonos brand around the world can be a very powerful motivator and technical solutions are always possible. Previously we had the simultaneous S1 and S2 versions of the App and right now we could probably do with the old S2 (that worked) and perhaps a new S3 supporting the new headphones so that most of us can use the old S2 until the S3 (with headphone support) is salvaged?

 

 

I’ll bet you $100 to your favorite charity that a rollback isn’t coming.  Not to belittle the response on here, but it has already subsided to the point where it is about where every other app overhaul was in the weeks following, and Sonos always weathered those.  There’ve been (by my count) 3 or 4 overhauls so far, with the same “self destruction of the Sonos brand around the world” doom-and-gloom predictions, the same quoting of app reviews, the same stock market declines, the same critiques of “inefficient, unintuitive, too many clicks, too many swipes, can’t find X, can’t do Y, etc.”, the same profanity laced rants, the same threats to sell Sonos (or toss it in the bin, out the window, burn it on YouTube, etc) and Sonos is still standing (and by the time of the next overhaul, the formerly hated new app where nothing worked miraculously morphs into the old beloved app everyone is clamoring to roll back to)

J
Userlevel 1

I couldn’t agree more with the negative sentiments here. This nee app basically took down our entire system(6 rooms) and i tried wait on the phone for support but even after waiting the outlandish 50-60 min wait time no one is there! It’s absolutely nonsense. 

D
Userlevel 2

I set up an account just so I could leave a review here. I’ve used Sonos exclusively since 2018. I will replace all 12 pieces of my gear for a competitor before August if this app isn’t fixed, and I will never return to this ecosystem.
 

K
Userlevel 2

The app is failing.  I can’t see my network on any of my devices.  WTF!? Roll back to an app that actually * works.  What is wrong with Sonos?

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

U
Userlevel 1

Did they do away with the dual mono option? I want the port to output mono, not stereo. I cant find the setting 

Reply


Terms & ConditionsCookie settings