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Contributor I
Oct 20, 2017 5:29 AM UTC

Feedback on new app

I would like to issue my feedback:

Oh my gosh the new app, sonos website + forum are very complex!

I could easily list a number of fundamental user interface rules that are broken, and many interfaces that are just so complex that it beggars belief.

Many folks that I know personally who have purchased on my sonos recommendation are similarly expressing their frustrations with such a massive UI change, to make matters worse, without warning.

Michael Lee - 20 years software development professional.
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74 replies

Ryan S
Retired Sonos Staff
Oct 25, 2017 10:52 PM UTC
Thanks for sharing Michael, we're collecting feedback and sharing with the team on the app to work with for future versions.
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Lyricist I
Oct 27, 2017 8:58 AM UTC
Michael,
I totally agree. The new app is awful and the previous versions were only OK. The new app is clunky, confusing and makes using Sonos an unpleasant experience. I only have 4 speakers - so I could move to another speaker manufacturer- it seems like you are stuck because you have so many speakers. 😞
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Contributor I
Oct 27, 2017 9:03 AM UTC
Absolutely agree. This new design (iPhone) is so counter intuitive. It takes a lot of the joy away from using the system.I used to feel in total control, now I'm just clicking around doing the same things over and over to find what I need.
Sonos please give us the old UI and make an option for "classic UI" or similar in the app.
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Oct 27, 2017 9:25 AM UTC
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B5LY6yD3BW7adkstOHVDVzZUMUE/view?usp=sharing

I find the new app easy to use, although there are ways in which it could be made even easier.
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Trending Lyricist I
Oct 27, 2017 6:12 PM UTC
I've tried really hard to get on with and like the new App, but it really is dreadfully clunky. Worse, I am constantly having to reboot it, even standing a yard away from my router. So it's flaky as well as clunky (those are technical terms, by the way) I've had Sonos for over four years, and think the system is brilliant, but over time, the App just keeps on getting worse and worse. The controller on my PC does not give me the same level of aggro as my iPhone. Aaaaaggghhhh.
On a positive note, could we have a sortable function for displaying music by date downloaded, like in iTunes?
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Lyricist I
Oct 30, 2017 5:39 PM UTC
I agree. The old app was very simple to use.
Now I have to mess around going from screen to screen selecting rooms and back to browsing music for selections.
This seems like a rushed product to fit in with the release of the new sonos-1.
I find myself using the desktop app instead and its so much easier.
With the likes of amazon and google biting at your heels you need to do a much better job of the software.
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Lyricist II
Oct 30, 2017 6:41 PM UTC
I liked the old app because it was very simple to navigate and especially because the dark background was easy on the eyes.
The new app is apparently a product of software developers who feel the need to complicate things, assuming that this will make a more immersive experience out of using the control. They succeeded, so now, in my opinion, the app is annoying to look at and unpleasant to use. Hate the bright backgrounds. Strongly dislike more tabs and pages of icons. Who would ever imagine you should need to need to pick the browse tab to change input source from amazon music to tv?
Why not just give us as few as possible menu pages with functions listed neatly and logically, and call it a day?
A few weeks ago I started a topic on the subject of the bright theme of the new app.
https://en.community.sonos.com/controllers-software-228995/we-want-sonos-app-dark-mode-back-6791523
Please visit and speak up. Maybe someone will listen.
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Lyricist I
Oct 30, 2017 6:46 PM UTC
I also agree and for me it is worse. I cannot see any of my "My Sonos" items on anything IOS. The PC app works perfectly. With the IOS app broken it effectively makes Sonos unusable to me. I have called Sonos support and the person I spoke with immediately recognized the problem so hopefully the Sonos team will fix this major failure SOON.
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Lyricist III
Nov 3, 2017 7:10 PM UTC
The new application interface is terribly complicated and require a ton more "clicks" to do the same thing the old application did.

EX: To see what zones are playing and to group them is now extremely painful. To see the music services and music requires to go to a whole different browse tab and not easy to do from each zone.

One of the reason I bought Sonos was because of how easy the interface was. I persuaded many of my friends to buy Sonos products because of how easy the interface is. They are all as confused by the new interface as I am. From a software human factors perspective, this is a huge step backward in simplicity. I work in the software industry so very familiar with software interface design. Please, seriously consider simplifying or going back to the old interface. I'm all for change and new features but not as the expense of the software experience.

I love Sonos but please fix the new app interface!
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Contributor I
Nov 15, 2017 12:23 AM UTC
The last version that worked for me was 8.1. Since 8.1.1 and even today's 8.2 the Sonos app keeps on telling me I am using the wrong username or password when I try to enter the SirusXm service information that worked prior to 8.1.1. I know it is correct because I can log on using my password manager to the website. The Alexa implementation in Sonos One is also a crude piece of work that seemed to be rushed into service.
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