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Yesterday when I launched the Windows app for Sonos, it gave a message something like
“There’s a new version available.  Some features will not be available until you update.”

 

Given the terrible new iOS app, I declined to update the Windows app.  I couldn’t see any obvious gaps in functionality form what I rememebred. (I hadn’t used it for some time - until the iOS app update last month.)

Today, I had no such message.  

I have three Sonos devices and one of them is only switched on occasionally. When I powered it up this morning, the app told me it needed a software update, which I performed.  This doesn’t seem likely, to me, as the trigger for yesterday’s message.

Has anyone recently updated their Sonos app for Windows?  If so, is it OK, or has it been mangled like the mobile app?

And a related question - how do I tell if an app update is available?  If I choose 
Help > About My Sonos System…
the resulting dialogue box says:

Sonos Controller for PC
Version: 16.2
Sonos OS: S2
Build: 79153290
Sonos ID:*********

It then has a vertically scrollable section which details my sonos hardware.

 

Thanks in anticipation.

Chris, UK

Moderator edit: recorded and removed Sonos ID
 

Hi @shed53 

Thanks for your post! 

The changes made to the Sonos Desktop Controller for Windows in the latest update were minimal - as will all future changes be (if there ever are any - the Web App is replacing it). I believe the update was largely so the app recognises Ace headphones.

So, there should be no issues with you updating it.

I hope this helps.

Edit: Check for Updates is the best way to find out if your app needs updated, but if the system requires it, it will tell you when opening the app. Repeated updates is one of the reasons for Web App being created. You can check it out at https://play.sonos.com

Hello @Corry P 

Thanks for your prompt reply.  However...

There is no “Check for Updates” in the Edit menu.  Its only actions are the standard Cut, Copy and Paste.

Under the Manage menu, there is “Check for Software Updates...” but I think that’s solely for managing updates to the Sonos system itself and not for the Windows Controller.

As far as I can tell, the “About my Sonos System...” under the Help menu details the software running the Sonos hardware and does not relate to the Windows Controller.

So, I’m no further ahead.

 

I also checked out the Web App as you suggested.  I see that it has less functionality than even the recently implemened iOS app.  There is no option to manage my local Music Library, even though the Web App can see it.  And there is absolutely no functionality to manage my Sonos system.

Why have you made such regressive updates to what was quite a good controller ecosystem?  In the design meetings that removed so many useful actions from the S2 app when implementing the new mobile apps, who was the customer advocate and what did they have to say when you decided to strip out so much functionality?  Were they just ignored?

 

I hope you can provide some meaningful answers…

 

Regards,

Chris

Hi @shed53 

There is no “Check for Updates” in the Edit menu.  Its only actions are the standard Cut, Copy and Paste.

Ah. Please ignore the word “edit” - that’s just there because I did not originally include that sentence in my reply, and did a later edit.

Under the Manage menu, there is “Check for Software Updates...” but I think that’s solely for managing updates to the Sonos system itself and not for the Windows Controller.

That’s the one we’re looking for. It should check for both, but if in doubt, you can download the latest version from our downloads page.

As far as I can tell, the “About my Sonos System...” under the Help menu details the software running the Sonos hardware and does not relate to the Windows Controller.

So, I’m no further ahead.

It’s very likely that there will never be another update for the Desktop Controller, so if you download the current version from our website, there will likely be no future need to download it again.

I also checked out the Web App as you suggested.  I see that it has less functionality than even the recently implemened iOS app.  There is no option to manage my local Music Library, even though the Web App can see it.  And there is absolutely no functionality to manage my Sonos system.

The Web App replaces the Desktop app, which itself has had no options to configure Sonos systems for a number of years - with the exception of Music Library, adding services, and custom radio URLs. Music Library management will be solely handled by the new mobile app, in time.

Why have you made such regressive updates to what was quite a good controller ecosystem?  In the design meetings that removed so many useful actions from the S2 app when implementing the new mobile apps, who was the customer advocate and what did they have to say when you decided to strip out so much functionality?  Were they just ignored?

 

The new app was written from scratch, with no code copied over from the old version. Features were not removed, per se, they just haven’t been added yet, or, are disabled/rendered-invisible because they do not yet work as expected. We are working to bring these features back to the app as soon as we can.

I hope this helps.

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