New ios app sucks

I'm a longtime Sonos user and I agree this new interface is baffling and painful to use. It's not intuitive because you launch the app and immediately seek to play certain music in a specific zone. On the main welcome screen, there are Sonos playlists and random radio stations. The only visual cue is the white bottom display that shows what's playing in what zone. The bottom menus are black and fade against the phone, and so you forget about them, and click the white now playing button, with two stacked dot/dash menus but neither lets you simply browse and pick the music from your available stations, services, etc. You then remember about the menu buttons, so close the details and go to browse to find music.

Apps should be intuitive in their workflow so users can easily figure out and remember how to use them. The old app did that but this one does not, and so whatever cool features it may have are offset by the painful user experience it imposes. Hopefully, Sonos finds a way to restore their app to an intuitive and easy-to-use experience.

Can I repeat a question asked at the very beginning of this thread that doesn't seem to have been answered... is there any way to get back to the old layout? Thanks

No.

That's a shame. So maybe I'll just add my "two-pennorth" on the new layout. I feel the same way about this update as I do about supermarkets who change the layout in their stores just as you get to know where everything you need is. I used to use the front page of the old app to provide one-click access to all my available music sources - i.e. Sonos favourites, radio, spotify, deezer, music library etc etc. Now I cant find most of them. Since I'm reasonably competent I expect I will find other solutions - I'll probably use the native Spotify app and iPlayer more - but my wife, I am sure, having just become reasonably familiar with the old Sonos layout, will just go back to the radio - which is a shame, The vast majority of computer updates such as this are driven by technophiles who tend to forget that not everyone is as tech-savvy as they are and don't want to invest the time or have the interest in going back to square one whenever the developers get bored with the status-quo.

If you dislike the current Sonos app your going to dislike the native Spotify app —- as they are identical.

The browse button at the bottom of the current Sonos screen is nearly identical to the previous home screen with all music sources that you say your having difficulty finding The biggest issue is that navigation bar is hidden by the now playing screen (actually exactly like the current Spotify app). The only difference vs old source menu is the Sonos favorites are moved to their own dedicAted button (my Sonos). Otherwise everything is just as it was in prior version.

Sonos has said they are using customer feedback to improve on this and expect a new release coming fairly soon.

For now just remember to always swipe down the now playing to get back to all your options.

If you dislike the current Sonos app your going to dislike the native Spotify app —- as they are identical.

There's indeed quite some similarity - the resemblance with apple music is even more eerie - and most likely the result of copycat 'design'. And not surprising, android users weren't happy either when Spotify changed their navigation.

If there is one thing to be said though about the Spotify app is that you can actually select a different room using their equivalent of the red room thingy (devices available).

Yep Spotify even has that red room thingy.

Many problems with the new iphone app, music sources seem to disappear, virtually impossible to switch between different rooms playing different music/radio stations. I found the only way to do it successful was to resort to the Windows app. That, at least still seems to function simply and correctly. With the iphone app I have found it necessary to either shutdown and restart the phone, if closing the app and clearing the iphone memory does not work.

A Horrible update. Ive seen no comments from The Sonos tech team about this, unless I'm looking at the wrong forum?

Try SonoPad, it will end all the frustration, no I’m not connected just a happy user.

Just remember to always flick down on the now playing screen and you should be ok until the next update.