Skip to main content

Three Things Nobody Needs

  • 25 May 2024
  • 7 replies
  • 94 views
  1. [redacted]
  2. [redacted]
  3. A new Sonos controller 

Actually some people do want more of 1 or 2 but nobody wanted Sonos to “fix” the perfectly fine controller app. What a debacle but the pompous hubris of CEO Spence (uh I guess we should have communicated the roadmap) and CPO Bouvat-Merlin (took courage to launch a new UI) is insane. You guys don’t get it. After hustling us thru the S2 upgrade to now punk us all on this new controller so you can get the headphones shipped is a humiliating kick in the crotch to your loyal user base including this one of 20+ years. Too many FUBARS to list so I’ll just leave it at this - will no longer buy Sonos. 👋

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

This topic has been closed for further comments. You can use the search bar to find a similar topic, or create a new one by clicking Create Topic at the top of the page.

7 replies

UKMedia
Userlevel 7
Badge +20

I’m not saying this has been a pleasant experience in the slightest and ignoring the political side of things, the Sonos App has constantly received bad comments about the layout.  So to say the old App was ‘perfectly fine’ is a stretch.  However, it did work!

There is also the the aspect of rearchitecting the App to support future products. e.g. the Ace.  The reality is that for a product like the Sonos App, any change will be resisted, even if it was a perfect match for the functionality and had no defects - lot’s of people just don’t like change.

I do agree that the Sonos approach of not announcing a high level roadmap, so that customers have some visibility of the changes due, has made this release a much bigger problem than it needed to be. 

A simple set of release notes, that stated that an App release has been created to support the new products but unless you are using one of the new products, don’t accept that update, would have negated most of the negative aspects of the new App.

Remember: Sometimes Red Wine helps :)
W
Userlevel 1

I’m not saying this has been a pleasant experience in the slightest and ignoring the political side of things, the Sonos App has constantly received bad comments about the layout.  So to say the old App was ‘perfectly fine’ is a stretch.  However, it did work!

There is also the the aspect of rearchitecting the App to support future products. e.g. the Ace.  The reality is that for a product like the Sonos App, any change will be resisted, even if it was a perfect match for the functionality and had no defects - lot’s of people just don’t like change.

I do agree that the Sonos approach of not announcing a high level roadmap, so that customers have some visibility of the changes due, has made this release a much bigger problem than it needed to be. 

A simple set of release notes, that stated that an App release has been created to support the new products but unless you are using one of the new products, don’t accept that update, would have negated most of the negative aspects of the new App.

As you point out the last app actually worked which I guess we’ve learned is not table stakes anymore. 

P

The old version of the app was simple and as a dealer I could walk the most tech ignorant clients through it. They could then take over and work the basics of the system without issue. The tab system was easy to find what you needed to just play music. There was a couple corky issues with it, but this constant swiping to find anything is absolutely terrible. Not to mention I’m getting phone calls and texts from clients on missing devices, features, and slow to no response from the app. 

jgatie

The old version of the app was simple and as a dealer I could walk the most tech ignorant clients through it. They could then take over and work the basics of the system without issue. The tab system was easy to find what you needed to just play music. There was a couple corky issues with it, but this constant swiping to find anything is absolutely terrible. Not to mention I’m getting phone calls and texts from clients on missing devices, features, and slow to no response from the app. 

 

That’s actually hysterical, because I can show you almost identical posts from when the “old app” was brand new (and when the one before that was brand new, too).   People hated the tabs, they hated the color scheme, they complained about too many swipes and clicks, they called it “unintuitive”, “clunky”, “inelegant”, etc.  UI/UX design “science” is a joke.  “Elegant” just  means familiar.  “Intuitive” just means muscle memory has developed.  Is the app incomplete?  Yes, it never should have been released half-baked.  Is it unfamiliar?  Yes.  Will it be the longed for elegant, intuitive app people are screaming to get back when Sonos updates the UI again in a few years?  I’d bet my house on it (and I have history to prove it).

 

Do these thread titles look familiar?

 

W
Userlevel 1

The old version of the app was simple and as a dealer I could walk the most tech ignorant clients through it. They could then take over and work the basics of the system without issue. The tab system was easy to find what you needed to just play music. There was a couple corky issues with it, but this constant swiping to find anything is absolutely terrible. Not to mention I’m getting phone calls and texts from clients on missing devices, features, and slow to no response from the app. 

 

That’s actually hysterical, because I can show you almost identical posts from when the “old app” was brand new (and when the one before that was brand new, too).   People hated the tabs, they hated the color scheme, they complained about too many swipes and clicks, they called it “unintuitive”, “clunky”, “inelegant”, etc.  UI/UX design “science” is a joke.  “Elegant” just  means familiar.  “Intuitive” just means muscle memory has developed.  Is the app incomplete?  Yes, it never should have been released half-baked.  Is it unfamiliar?  Yes.  Will it be the longed for elegant, intuitive app people are screaming to get back when Sonos updates the UI again in a few years?  I’d bet my house on it (and I have history to prove it).

 

Do these thread titles look familiar?

 

I would agree that the last app rollout presented a learning curve to the community but it worked and introduced new, useful features which is not the case with this debacle. 

P

The old version of the app was simple and as a dealer I could walk the most tech ignorant clients through it. They could then take over and work the basics of the system without issue. The tab system was easy to find what you needed to just play music. There was a couple corky issues with it, but this constant swiping to find anything is absolutely terrible. Not to mention I’m getting phone calls and texts from clients on missing devices, features, and slow to no response from the app. 

 

That’s actually hysterical, because I can show you almost identical posts from when the “old app” was brand new (and when the one before that was brand new, too).   People hated the tabs, they hated the color scheme, they complained about too many swipes and clicks, they called it “unintuitive”, “clunky”, “inelegant”, etc.  UI/UX design “science” is a joke.  “Elegant” just  means familiar.  “Intuitive” just means muscle memory has developed.  Is the app incomplete?  Yes, it never should have been released half-baked.  Is it unfamiliar?  Yes.  Will it be the longed for elegant, intuitive app people are screaming to get back when Sonos updates the UI again in a few years?  I’d bet my house on it (and I have history to prove it).

 

Do these thread titles look familiar?


  

The S1 version and S2 as it began are what made Sonos a household name. Prior versions of their app was why only computer savvy users were into Sonos. The quality of the product is wasted if it’s not simple for a customer of any technical level to operate. Everyone can find something to complain about, but this Russound knockoff app release is going to make existing customers apprehensive of buying new products from Sonos and their dealers. 
jgatie

I would agree that the last app rollout presented a learning curve to the community but it worked and introduced new, useful features which is not the case with this debacle. 

 

Funny, I saw none of this sentiment in those threads (though the one where a poster resurrected a “New app sucks” thread from the previous app overhaul and couldn’t tell he was asking for a rollback to the app that the original post was slagging was very entertaining). 

Terms & ConditionsCookie settings