The unbelievable hubris of the Sonos leadership to spit in our faces and tell us it’s raining. Almost with a “like it or leave it mentality”; which is astonishing.

First, Sonos, your products are not cheap. Many of us have serious investment in your products which are not cross platform and require a functioning app to operate. You are basically telling us that it is our problem and we have to wait for you to get your house in order before we can fully use our products again.

Second, it’s extremely disingenuous to imply that we don’t understand software development lifecycle. Many of us work in the software development and infrastructure world, so we are completely clued in to how to and how NOT to release a new product to market. This product should have been through a rigorous QA and Staging deployment process prior to just shipping it to PROD. This should have included a very rigorous and transparent beta testing process before making the legacy app unavailable. The extremely negative feedback would suggest that despite trying to spin this, you cut corners. You admit that this was a novel product, and not updating legacy code, so following the SDLC is EXTREMELY critical.

As someone who has been in the software business longer than Sonos has existed, my advice to you would be this:

1. Re-release your legacy app and put this product back into beta.
2. Fix the BASIC fucntionality issues before working on feature releases (i.e. adding removing products into groups, volume issues, latency issues, playback issues)
3. Re-add the most popular features from the legacy application and TEST THEM.
4. Once beta is complete, release to PROD, but also leave the legacy S2 app available with an anticipated EOL date.

This is not rocket science, it’s simple SDLC which if followed, will cause this situation to be avoided in the future.

Glad it’s not just me, disappointed It stays locked to one zone and won’t change despite changing on app. Using Spotify from inside the app is only way I can avoid spurious music playing in other zones 

Dear Sonos,

I agree with all the app issues above. Loved the product for almost 10 years. We expect it to at least play music, it is WORTHLESS RIGHT NOW. I have purchased JBLs to REPLACE YOU until you FIX THIS.

Here’s a few ideas to fix.

1. GO BACK TO THE GOLD SONOS 2 APP THAT WORKED UNTIL YOU FIGURE THIS OUT.
2. be PROACTIVE - publish the top fixes/ideas to your users. We can’t even call customer support- wait times of 1 to 2 hours
3. Implement EXCELLENT CHAT feature for customer support. 
4. it’s become clear in the last 2 releases you are NOT a good software company. GO HIRE BETTER PEOPLE, software engineers, QA. Put processes and beta test in place and DON’T RELEASE horrible apps with so many problems.
5. You are introducing too many product lines, you have stretched yourself too thin. You are not capable of executing your business plan.  BEFORE YOU LOSE YOUR ENTIRE REPUTATION, REGROUP AND FOCUS.
6. Asking us to sift through your poor communmity system IS NOT A FIX. Users are good people, but YOU NEED TO DO MORE.
7. GOOD LUCK - we all hope and pray you figure this out. If it continues, you’ll lose  our loyalty and we’ll move on to other products.

Totally agree with the massive frustration around the new app. I feel extremely sorry for the people in the support centre who have no idea how to help and bear the brunt of frustrations. 
I’ve lost nearly 9 hours of my life over 3 calls (mainly waiting). On every call I was asked exactly the same questions even though I had done a diagnostic and had an issue number.

I have been a customer since the early 2000’s. Ive bought more than 21 products. 
Not only has Sonos been unable to help they haven't even been respectful enough to send an email of apology, explanation or fix timeline. 
Unless something happens very soon there will be more than 21 extra sonos products on ebay. 
CEO seems to be hiding  Thats just weak.   

Please can you roll back to the previous version of the app? The new one is unusable. It’s truly terrible. Not only is it unintuitive, but it doesn’t work! 

Dear Sonos

We have systems throughout our home and office and have been supporters and customers since the get-go.

I get that change is hard, and that it take a while to re-learn new apps/programs etc however since transition to this new app, we have had unfortunate situations described as the following:

1. we have been unable to adequately control volume in each room (the sound is lower than what the tab says, then gets super loud when adjusted)
2.  we have to “set up the system” each time from scratch when we move from home to office since each time we move from home to office it cannot seamlessly integrate (as was perfectly fine with the old app, since each system was recognized and remembered in the app).
3. There is no way to see on the app where the source of music is coming from (before you would know if it was a stream vs. “apple” vs. spotify etc, source is not detected only name of song and artist is visible).
4. It is quite hard to isolate different music in each room, not user friendly at all, took 3 different people to figure it out (you must swipe up from bottom to separate rooms which is different then clicking on source on tab up on top to open up all rooms/speakers) but only works on certain pages of app.we have acciedntally embarassingly changed and disrupted the music in other offices with other clients during their personal bodywork and other health/wellness sessions and it is upsetting everyone.

Lastly we have not been able to set up alexa/google assist on any of systems.

pleaaaaase hellllppppp.

I am the sad owner of a 12 speaker/connection system.  I loved it until this new app.  I am a tech geek as a side hobby in life.  I built a connected house, of which Sonos was an integral part, upgrading when the S2 system came out.  Now it feels like I own something out of the 1980’s, and at least then I could control my music manually .

Please tell me that Sonos is going to fix this.  You built a dream system, Sonos.  Do not let the dream die because you built a bad app.  Reset or fix it, please.  I suspect that this is already impacting your bottom line and sales.  If nothing else, that should be catching your attention.

Please fix these software issues. I am ready to switch to something else if this isn’t fixed soon. 

Dear Sonos CEO, 

I sincerely hope you read the customer feedback and do not become another “Boeing”.

Reading many of the comments, as I have the same problems, I am gobsmacked, why and how come you even release such products. Do you have a process for validation prior to releases ?

I do not want to add any fuel to the fire, but you kill everything you stood for. 

Don’t stay silent, get loud and communicate with those who are loyal to the company. Change the company before its too late. 

I want the old app back.

This new version is a joke. It defaults to my bedroom even though I specify which combo of speakers I want. I seem to be unable to select a set of speakers and then the system to hold to those speakers.

In addition sound then fades in and out of its own accord...or cuts out completely.I am unable to control the volume controls for each set of speakers.

How could this possibly be considered for release?

It’s both comforting and disappointing to read that it’s not just me struggling with my Sonos system with this new app. I was very excited to purchase the new Ace headphones and now I’m hesitant. I can’t even get my current system to work properly with my phone or laptop...I have very low confidence in adding a new product to the mix. All of this and now I also have to use a web app. Not a fan. 

Hello,  I have been a Sonos proponent/fan from the day I bought my original Playbar and slowly converted the entire house to Sonos sound systems all the way to the patio.  The ease and connectivity just impressed everyone that came to visit and great sound to boot.  THAT ALL CHANGED WITH THE NEW SOFTWARE UPDATE!!!!! It doesn't work, I have lost my entire patio connected to an Sonos AMP and can't seem to reconnect no mater what I do.  Controlling the Playbar when watching TV has become a hit or miss situation most of the time it will not connect so no one can control the sound or change over from playing music to watching TV.  Naturally I wanted to contact customer service and get some help and it turns out that they are only available during business hours Monday thru Friday!  This will require me  take a day off to get help.  You would think with such an expensive system they would have people available on the weekends to help on a bugled upgrade!!!!!

Im not a programmer and only have a semblance of understanding of the above...but this seems absolute common sense.

It seems that Sonos have let a couple of young programmers ( with all due respect to uoung programmers) loose on this vanity project without any due diligence on the outcome.

As you and many others have said..we've invested in this product and from my point of view it's just been on a slippery slope for some time now. We used to be almost boastful of the fact we had a Sonos system....those were the days.

“Hey, let’s release this new app. But we don’t know if it will work. That’s OK, our loyal Sonos users will help us find all the problems.” 
 

Hard to believe the App got released in this day and age!

The App is even worse and even less user friendly than before and that takes some doing! Navigating through is impossible and it doesn’t seem to let you switch between rooms like the old one did at least. 
Annoyed, frustrated and ready to sell my system if they don’t fix this pronto! 

It is an old message from Sonos, I didn’t realise were in June already! It is quite poor, think we all here agree. I feel sorry for Sonos and their reputation in their industry and equally wish I could punch them in the soft places and demand my money back for the speakers. 
I only have three Sonos units, one of them stopped being recognisable since the update. Can’t imagine how infuriating it must be for those with large sound system or that need sound for their work. 

New Sonos app totally unresponsive.  Volume control is slow & randomly jumping up & down.   For a high end system this is pretty poor.  Turned my system off last night only to find it playing this morning.  Looks like it’s been playing all night.   
 

Come on Sonos,  with all the issues & complaints flooding in since the latest update there has been no response from you.   Reading the blogs on here I sense it won’t be long before Sonos fans will be moving to other services.

Sonos— “SORT IT OUT"

My wife and I have been battling with the new App for a month now. We agree with all the comments on here! It is driving us mad. Please, please can we go back to the old App while the new one is fixed. We have always loved our Sonos products but have to seriously consider what else to get if we can’t control any of our speakers!! can’t’ change the music, can’t start/stop the music, can’t adjust the volume, can’t search for music, can’t listen to any music!!!!!!!!!!!?Please help!!!!!!

Basically, it appears that Sonos have introduced the new App without full testing. The Lab rats for this are current customers. It looks like this thread has now run for at least 28 days. Regardless how many times we update the App and Sonos system it remains not fit for purpose. It is quite telling that the previous App had little issues. A sorry state of affairs. If the new products coming to market rely on this then Sonos need to think of the business damage being done to their brand. The CEO and Board need to look at other Brands out there that did not step up and resolve issues and the overall damage done to their business models. Time for sitting on the fence to stop,

Have been a Sono user for over 20 years and frustrated by the number of clicks to switch zones, change music and update alarms. Please regress to previous app.

Hi all, 

Sadly I have seeked this forum as I cannot use my Sonos effectively anymore.. 

i have 4 speakers and eager to add some new designs.. that maybe that a was eager now… their market leading edge is under question.., 

however I agree with all the comments here, the difference with the last app is night and day.., 

before I breezed through the app, managed different rooms, combined, separated, super responsive and effortless, 

now I can’t even change rooms to search for different music upstairs  without  transferring the music downstairs to the one upstairs, I can’t work it out, 

once I put music on in one room on my phone ,  have to use Alexa to get music on the other one… embarrassing.., trying to Combine speakers is borderline pointless… keeps rejecting the request..,

volume can be a huge delay and i hate this app, which is a million miles away from how I felt just a few weeks ago…

Sonos was famed for its ease of use and app.. maybe not for much longer… 

Sonos? Where are you? Are you addressing those issues? Did I miss a statement or are you really hiding ? I cannot use my system anymore with this app. It does not load, it crashes, it doesn’t show playlists, it stops playing in the middle of a song this is terrible 

My Sonos needs have never been complex. I have a NAS with over 1000 cd’s all ripped to FLAC which I play usually every day. I bought Sonos as it was at the time slick and easy to use. Somehow ,Sonos with this so called update, have totally screwed up. I can no longer search my NAS or update with new music, the volume control is useless as it’s hideously slow and all my playlists have disappeared. For the  first time in my long IT career I’ve witnessed an update that takes out a working piece of software and does not improve or replace it. The arrogance of the Sonos hierarchy defies belief. What on earth were they thinking allowing this piece of rubbish to be issued. The cure for me? I’m lucky enough to have a MacBook Air with the old and working software on it. I’ve bought from the App Store SONOPHONE ,which took about 10 seconds to get working and it does the job very well. I can access all that I need including my NAS and Spotify, and it does it very rapidly. Incidentally it is only 10MB in size compared to the Sonos app which is about 175MB. It’ll do until I decide what to replace the Sonos with. 

Hi All,

I'm afraid I can't add anything other than my voice.  My experience since the new app "appeared" (I don't recall chosing an upgrade) has been terrible.  

I think I have experienced all the problems already listed. I'm most disappointed by my complete inability to find the Port and linked turntable.

The absolute last thing I need when I listen to music is stress.  The new app creates that at every step, whether that is listening to the radio, connecting to Spotify, linking rooms, adjusting volume etc, etc. 

I am so disappointed in Sonos.  I have gone from someone who used to show off about how cool the system was to being embarrass because I can't change the bloody track.

I do hope that Sonos are listening.  I am getting fed up trying to listen to anything anymore.

Here's hoping for a response and update.

I have to mirror the other comments, the new app is clunky and unintuitive, I don’t like how much swiping up vs tapping is required to get the systems grouped and I’m always opening the now playing window instead of swiping to see each speaker - It’s just such a strange way to do it since the old method worked perfectly and just made sense, the volume control takes more clicks to get to manage volume… It’s really shitty UX and needs to be fixed, at least give us the option to opt out of this new app while you fix these issues.

The biggest gripe I have though is it’s much more flakey and unresponsive… I don’t know what extra things this app is trying to do in the background but it’s much more unstable, I have to reboot some of my speakers because they just become unmanageable and unresponsive, they show as not having anything playing or no queue, I walk over to they and they will not even respond to the touch controls - This has never happened before and now it’s happened to multiple speakers in the last week of having this heap of s*** app… 

This kind of thing is what will make me hold off on the Ace headphones I’ve been wanting for the last few years… I’m losing faith in the company and the lack of  response to these problems doesn’t help your case.

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