Kill switch for app updates?

I want Sonos to make it possible to say "LATER" to the update screen and let me go about my business. This intervention in my personal life and enjoyment of my property is unacceptable.

Not at all overly dramatic

How about turning off automatic updates in your app store as I have done? Or are you objecting to even being notified?

I want Sonos to make it possible to say "LATER" to the update screen and let me go about my business. This intervention in my personal life and enjoyment of my property is unacceptable.

Not at all overly dramaticIndeed. The expression 'first world problem' could have been coined for this one.

Not at all overly dramaticIndeed. The expression 'first world problem' could have been coined for this one.

You guys are missing the point here, and that's people expecting to be in control of their own property.

We did not rent our sonos equipment we bought it. The 8.1 update bricks that equipment until we upgrade our controllers which is not acceptable, as it's the technical equivalent of holding someone hostage until you pay a ransom.

It really doesn't matter if this is nicely buried somewhere in the t&c and that is not a live or death situation.

This is about a corporation violating our trust and forcing us to downgrade our product experience which is - besides being morally and ethically questionable - inevitably an emotional event. And the reactions on this forum are accordingly.

I'm afraid comparing a software update to a hostage/ransom situation is not going to help you explain your point to people who already think you are being over dramatic. Nice try, though! :8

How about turning off automatic updates in your app store as I have done? Or are you objecting to even being notified?
Can you do this for just the android Sonos app? I can't see an option in the Play Store or on my phone...

In the Play Store app for the app in question, click the 3 dot menu at the top right - there is an "Auto-update" checkbox that would act on a per-app basis.

I'm afraid comparing a software update to a hostage/ransom situation is not going to help you explain your point to people who already think you are being over dramatic. Nice try, though! :8

As extreme as it may sound, it's a metaphor that's used in business to refer to this exact kind of situation. It's no coincidence in this regard that several people referred to themselves as (ex-)loyal customers.
https://blog.startquestion.com/understand-customer-loyalty-with-the-apostle-model-618f50dd7423

Agreed though, not sure if it'll convince the fanboys, aka apostles. My hope is more to get a message through that thick skull of the product manager responsible for this stunt by using a language he or she should understand.

In the Play Store app for the app in question, click the 3 dot menu at the top right - there is an "Auto-update" checkbox that would act on a per-app basis.
Thanks - I still can't find it when accessing the Play Store via a web browser on a PC, but eventually found the menu on my phone. Does the setting apply for the app, or per device? i.e. do I need to change setting on all devices that might be used?

Since when should Sonos get to decide that a perfectly functional version of the iPhone controller will no longer work?

The app is freeware. You didn't buy it, so really, Sonos could do whatever it wants with the app software. What you bought was the speaker product. I'm not saying it's good business to mess around with the app, but acting like Sonos is messing around with your property is incorrect.

But as others have pointed out, it doesn't work like that anyway. You do not have to update your software, it's just highly recommended. Eventually, connected features, like music services, will stop working, as they have upgraded themselves.


This is about a corporation violating our trust and forcing us to downgrade our product experience which is - besides being morally and ethically questionable - inevitably an emotional event. And the reactions on this forum are accordingly.

"downgrade our product experience" is a relative term. Clearly, Sonos thought the upgrade would improve the customer experience overall. In fact, there were many people on this forum complaining about the previous version of the app. Those people would argue that it was morally and ethically questionable to NOT upgrade the app. Which one of you is the moral authority.

I'm sure the perfect solution would appear to be allowing each user to pick which version of the app they want to use. Again, that doesn't work as you end up having to support each version of your software for life. Bugs that you fixed in newer version never really go away. It's a nightmare for all involved.

It really is helpful to let Sonos know what you like and don't like about their products. They do listen. However, claiming that they're decisions are a moral outrage doesn't really add any weight to your wishes.