8.2 Is Completely Frustratingly Awful

We usually are quiet on what exactly is being worked on in many regards. When it comes to software there's a lot that can impact plans and timelines, so we try not to overshare.

The team has heard your criticism from the community and other places around the color changes. The contrast and colors are being looked into, but since I'm not certain what the final plan is, we can't speak to what will happen. It does have a lot of attention, however, and there are several options being reviewed and tested. That process takes time, and incorporating all feedback is important at every stage of development. With all app changes, we get lots of both positive and negative feedback. The team takes the time to review it all and design based on that.

Hi Ryan

It's nearly 3 weeks now and still no (meaningful) update.

We are nearing a busy time for Sonos whereby us (previously?) loyal customers would evangelise your products to visiting friends & family. From my perspective, that will not be happening this year. In fact, the opposite is true and I will be suggesting that people don't buy Sonos as the forced updates have taken the UI in a terrible direction.

Before I get flamed/trolled, I have worked for many years in software design and development including iOS, so I've got a fair idea on timescales here...


- Will you get rid of the white on white? That's so simple it's a farce you haven't done this already. Offer a theme choice - dark or light, that's all you need to do.
- Will you go back to the simple room/music navigation vs. the disconnected navigation at present?

Here's a good example of some of the problems we've been experiencing:
On iPhone 8, iPad mini and iPad. Latest iOS updates. Network is Ruckus, hard wired w/CAT6A. Speed is 1G, FiOS.
In the Room list, the display shows that I am listening to WQXR in Living Room (ZP-90 Connect into McIntosh C-2600 coax dig input). Display shows a small check mark indicating that the Living Room is active. However, there is no music playing in the Living Room, nor had I selected the Living Room. If I tap the check mark to de-select the Living Room, SONOS asks "Are you sure you want to stop this music in all rooms?" If I tap Yes, SONOS still indicates that I am playing WQXR in Living Room, and the check mark has re-appeared. If I then select Living Room, then tap Browse, then tap < four times, I can get to the Browse screen, select my music choice, and adjust Volume.
The display also indicates that Kitchen is NOT selected, there is no check mark, nor does it indicate that any music is playing in the Kitchen (Play 1).
However, WBGO is playing in Kitchen. Volume slider works intermittently.
If I try to de-select Kitchen, it keeps re-appearing.
If I try swiping the display to find the control bar tab, the iPhone text message page comes up instead.
I can access the control bar tab only by very carefully tapping the very small horizontal grey line at the top of the screen display.
Now, if I try de-selecting Kitchen, display indicates Living Room and Kitchen are now grouped.
We did a complete re-boot of modem, router, Zone Director and WAPs, and all SONOS devices but it made no difference.
We've visited 12 clients in the last 3 days, 10 are having the same issues. (We are/were SONOS re-seller.)
These problems did not exist prior to the latest SONOS updates.
I'll repeat that, lest one might misunderstand.
These problems did not exist prior to the latest SONOS updates.

BTW, SONOS' stock answer to these issues is "interference". It is not. We ran frequency scanners and conducted comprehensive network diagnostics. The problem is not "interference". The problem is faulty SONOS software and app.

May I ask .. are you trying to do these room management tasks using the 'red room' facility on the Now Playing screen, or using the Rooms screen?

May I ask .. are you trying to do these room management tasks using the 'red room' facility on the Now Playing screen, or using the Rooms screen?

When the new version came out, I made this mistake. I now understand how room selection works; but the fact that so many people are confused by this indicates poor UI design.

@mwiseman. I wouldn't disagree with that. But it sounded like it might be a factor here so worth asking

@mwiseman. I wouldn't disagree with that. But it sounded like it might be a factor here so worth asking

You're correct.

May I ask .. are you trying to do these room management tasks using the 'red room' facility on the Now Playing screen, or using the Rooms screen?

Either/or

I would like to help, because while the app is far from perfect, it sounds like you are not making the best use of it. Here are a few things I have found help me. You are of course free to ignore them.
1 Don't use the red room thing on the Now Playing screen at all. Avoid it. Manage rooms entirely from the Rooms screen.
2 Use the tab bar to navigate to rooms and music choices
3. Swipe down the Now Playing screen to reveal the tab bar. (A quick downward flick of the finger almost anywhere on the screen works on my controllers.)
4. On the Rooms screen, the currently active room is highlighted (i.e. is black). The active room is not necessarily a room in which music is playing. It is the room that is currently being controlled, the one that the Now Playing screen is displaying when expanded. If you want to manage the music in another room, tap it on the Rooms screen. One tap will select it, another will return you to the Now Playing screen with control of that room.

There's definitely been a bit of a harsh learning curve with some of the changes, so I understand the frustration. I put a thread up here which outlines things for room changes a bit easier.

The team is hard at work taking into account your feedback. I can't speak to specific changes yet, but it's all being considered. After decisions are made, they have to implement and then go through a full testing phase. Some changes were released in 8.2, and more are likely to come in the next couple updates. I'll let you know as soon as there's more to share.