Mac OS app - intel based to silicon

It seems like a simple answer would simply to allow the iOS / iPad app to be downloaded and run from mac.  This is a feature that Apple promoted for a while but hardly anyone actually uses - seems odd. It would be a straight forward way to not manage multiple code bases or apps but allow users to use where they want.

That isn’t an option for Intel Macs though.

That is true, but given MacOS27 won’t be supported on Intel Macs any way does that really matter?  Just keep using MacOS 26 and rosetta 2 (and the Sonos app as is). no?

Good point,yeah.

I agree with many of the points here, and similar threads on the MacOS App. I am a long-time user of the MacOS app and other Apple platforms. I actually used the original Sonos “Brick” hardware controller, at first.

Today, I think this is really a broader company issue than just the Controller app for Mac Silicon. Full disclosure - I follow Sonos only intermittently. I think they’ve emerged from the issues with the mobile controller from 2 years ago with a revised focus. They want to be a well run, ‘financially responsible’ publicly traded company. Based on their actions and their messaging, I believe they have made the conscious decision that they are not a broad ‘consumer UI software company’ and are quietly divesting of delivery platforms that they have not identified as strategic (Android, IOS, limited voice assistants) but are a leader in modern home audiophile hardware/software systems. IOS and Android is their only focus for UI dependent software. I don’t think they want to invest much resourcing into UI and usability, and have consciously decide to reduce their exposure to that part of their old business model.

Tom Conrad, CEO: “...our strategy is clear: to unite every dimension of sound – through world-class hardware, software, and design – into one seamless platform for the home.”  (Sounds great to me!)

Saori Casey, CFO: “Over the course of Fiscal 2025, we executed on our pivotal transformation work, becoming a leaner, more focused organization with sharper financial discipline.” (‘Focused’ means conscious decision on what you will and won’t focus on in the future. ‘Financial discipline’ = financial engineering, imo - work your business and processes and compensation systems and HR processes so they align to financial metrics desired.

Frank Barbieri, COO was positioned as support for tighter execution across the business and its customer/partner-facing operations. Mr Barbieri comes most recently from Walmart, the dominant giant of retail, notorious for being relentless cutting costs and managing operations, especially supply chain, very tightly.

I’d LOVE to see them announce they’re coming out with a lightweight app for MacOS and Apple silicon.

(To the developer type folks - would a MacOS widget work? It’d be nice just to show the album cover, artist, song & album, pause/skip, and have it long running in a corner of a monitor or screen.)

The other dimension that is part of this is voice UI access with personal (Home & AI personal) assistants. The timing of when they announce and when they deliver will send clear message on who they plan on being in the future. 

When Captain Phillips was HELD CAPTIVE by Somali Pirates he said “I never lost hope for myself, but I didn’t see a good ending coming out of it.” - Ditto.

no one asked for it, but there’s my $0.02. disappointed...

As mentioned in this thread, the web app at play.sonos.com might meet your needs.

Thanks kdowling for the suggestion. My apologies in advance if I am missing something. The web app you refer to is the browser based app, correct? If so, they’ve done a nice job with the look of it. For my use, I’d prefer something that can be minimized as an album cover itself with basic controls on that album cover, similar to the MacOS app look an feel. When you select the album cover in the MacOS app and it enlarges in a separate window, and then you can minimize the app while keeping the album cover displayed by itself in a corner of the monitor. Ideally it would also not have the overhead of the browser. Thanks - let me know if I’m missing something please.

I don’t think you’re missing anything. I also like that feature of the macOS controller. The web app is what Sonos intends as the replacement for the desktop controllers. If they don’t release an apple silicon version (and it looks like they won’t), we’ll have to see if the market fills the vacuum.

I have several mac’s, some old and limited to macos versions which will continue to support rosetta. However, the issue for me is the play.sonos.com won’t actually function against a pure s1 system. 

The s1 apps for both macos and ios work perfectly fine -- for now. I’m sure if I ever turned on a windows device… those would probably work fine too. I’m currently on version 11.16.1… for the firmware’s and the controllers. I’ve enjoyed this setup for 15+ years… when I started the journey the old hardware controllers still existed, and the “apps” were just starting.

The web app only works with S2 system. So that’s not an option for us S1 folks. I also have a few older macbook pros. Two (one intel, one M1) will not be upgraded, so those will continue to work with the S1 controllers they have.

A couple weeks ago the download page was redesigned and they left off the S1 Desktop controllers. I then discovered the last time I downloaded the installer was quite a few updates ago. I downloaded current installers as soon as they fixed that (just in case!).