Why are the updates so frequent and disruptive

That means frequent updates and frequent reboots. The reboots are what cause all the problems. People’s networks them get messed up and everyone cry’s that it’s a bad update (when it’s been a highly tested update and the reboot exposed a network issue). So smaller updates more frequently would cause more problems.

When was the last time we had to take an update? Other than the hassle of a few minutes without music while the Sonos and controllers reboot themselves, I can't remember the last time I had a problem after updating (although it is a risk that Sonos mess something up). Better (ie. "some") release notes would help us make an informed decision.

When the user is involved in the update process, there is a limit to how frequently you can push out updates. And any change introduces risk. But with software, you want to get new code out there, rather than stockpiling release candidates.

The complaint of the original poster was to many updates. And your right. You can tdo now off auto updates and not take them all if you don’t want. I’m all for frequent updates but fact is many aren’t and they like to vocally complain about it.

But with software, you want to get new code out there, rather than stockpiling release candidates.
Why exactly? For what is just a home audio system? And where do you draw the line? Is daily at midnight the ideal to aim for then?

But with software, you want to get new code out there, rather than stockpiling release candidates.
Why exactly? For what is just a home audio system? And where do you draw the line? Is daily at midnight the ideal to aim for then?

Imagine for a second that Sonos actually fix an issue that affects you. Or they add a cool new feature. Now imagine that Sonos have an update process that involves user action to receive those updates (assuming you don't have auto-update enabled). Would you want to wait up to three months for the opportunity to get the new code? Having a system that's always evolving is one of the cool things about Sonos (or it was until they messed up the queue / My Sonos / insert own hated change here).

Look, with software that users have to download, there are practical limits to how frequently you can release (unlike, say Amazon pushing hundreds of changes every week). Unreleased code has no value. Fast turnaround from idea / bug fix to a tested release is way better than the nasty old software lifecycles of the past.

Imagine for a second that Sonos actually fix an issue that affects you. Or they add a cool new feature. Now imagine that Sonos have an update process that involves user action to receive those updates (assuming you don't have auto-update enabled). Would you want to wait up to three months for the opportunity to get the new code? Having a system that's always evolving is one of the cool things about Sonos (or it was until they messed up the queue / My Sonos / insert own hated change here).

Yes, I would be quite happy to wait the maximum of three months for any "cool" feature, and even more - it's just a home audio system for heaven's sake and stability is more important for music enjoyment than cool features even every quarter, given also a Sonos record for not having released anything truly cool more than once a year. If that. For which I don't blame them, this isn't a fashion accessory or cutting edge tech at its meaningful core to allow scope for that. And the more often there are releases, the more often there will be the inevitable bug fix releases.

The cool thing about Sonos is how easily it allows access to music. It is hard to keep doing cool changes to that all the time; it ends up being frenetic noise, with the cool thing attempts in dribbles and drabbles and fixes to fix the uncool things about the cool additions in another wave of dribbles.

I have no personal stake in the matter; I have learnt and incorporated all the tricks needed for painless Sonos upgrades. But many users have not, as is seen by the storm of complaints about broken systems after every upgrade. And I have also received no real value from upgrades since 2011, over what I can count on the fingers of one hand. Which is fine - it is JUST a music system and the kicks I get from it are from the music.

The truly cool thing for me has been being able to move from CDs/Vinyl to NAS, then to digital downloads to add to the NAS, and then to streaming services with libraries that are much more larger than a local NAS. And perhaps, once it matures, to voice control. All of which Sonos has enabled, although for voice I am still waiting for the integration to be released six months down the line from the Alexa release in India. All else that is cool from Sonos is largely noise, with the exception of True Play.

I do recognise that the churn that Sonos indulges in for the most part via its updates - black to white and back to black is a classic example - is a requirement of its target market that is easily and quickly bored with the UI. I would be as happy with annual updates as with quarterly for a home audio system. But it seems to me that there can be a via media between those in the Sonos market such as I, and those easily bored that yearn for the next cool thing, though I don't have too many hopes in that direction.

I'd be happy with optional updates that aren't essential to Sonos operation and mandatory updates that are essential.

Having the "No update" option that might leave a system with no access to on-line services might make some folks happy too.

Yes, I would be quite happy to wait the maximum of three months for any "cool" feature, and even more - it's just a home audio system for heaven's sake and stability is more important for music enjoyment than cool features even every quarter, given also a Sonos record for not having released anything truly cool more than once a year. If that. For which I don't blame them, this isn't a fashion accessory or cutting edge tech at its meaningful core to allow scope for that. And the more often there are releases, the more often there will be the inevitable bug fix releases.

The cool thing about Sonos is how easily it allows access to music. It is hard to keep doing cool changes to that all the time; it ends up being frenetic noise, with the cool thing attempts in dribbles and drabbles and fixes to fix the uncool things about the cool additions in another wave of dribbles.

I almost agree with you here. I'd have been happy with the Sonos system I bought years ago staying that way. For me, the most valuable improvement in the life of my system has been the addition of "favourites" (though if Sonos ever get close to finishing them, the "My Sonos" and "ephemeral-by-default queue" changes could be pretty cool). Other than addressing the fixed navigation bar and a few visual design issues on mobile, many of the recent changes have been bug fixes and hidden improvements. Sonos have actually been pretty restrained about making major changes to the UI except with infrequent major release. Bugs, which are inevitable, have a tendency of not respecting release schedules. Stability is a priority, and being able to push bug fixes quickly is a must.

It's also important to remember that new features aren't just for the benefit of existing users (Sonos already have our money, though they want us to expand our speaker collection), but to make the system more attractive to new customers. Unreleased code has no value, and there's a clear incentive for Sonos to adopt modern agile rapid release schedules.

to make the system more attractive to new customers. Unreleased code has no value, and there's a clear incentive for Sonos to adopt modern agile rapid release schedules.
"Modern agile rapid release schedules" - that is an impressive phrase indeed, though I still question if it applies to a very slowly evolving home audio system. I do see the word "schedules" in it, still defined I find as "a plan for carrying out a process or procedure, giving lists of intended events and times." Not quite how Sonos releases its updates, is it?

And if doing this in the manner it is done by Sonos is needed to attract new customers, Sonos is in more trouble than we think.

I believe I read here about Amazon as some one that also does this. I have no clue - because Amazon does not ask me to do what Sonos does, for every release. Updates happen on my Echo/Dot devices in the background and in six months of use, I have never had to do anything or even notice that happening. So if Sonos is said to follow the Amazon lead in these modern practices, they need to provide all of the Amazon delivery mechanism as well.

"Modern agile rapid release schedules" - that is an impressive phrase indeed, though I still question if it applies to a very slowly evolving home audio system.

Oh, it absolutely applies. The world has largely moved on from the bad old days of having to meet a fixed release date because your software ships on physical media. And thankfully many software developers have moved on from nasty "big bang" infrequent waterfall processes to being able to ship software regularly (weekly/daily/hourly) and in small increments. Now whether that means that Sonos have to ship new stuff every single week...

There are a couple of things worth remembering here:
1. Changing UI every day confuses users and should be done infrequently, but most of the changes to Sonos are probably bug fixes and performance tweaks that the average user doesn't notice. The ability to ship these as soon as they're ready is a good thing. If you build software, you want to have options.
2. There's still an element of friction in getting updates out, not least because users are involved in accepting/applying updates (the desktop app could probably auto-update on launch though), so it's not the same thing as just pushing code out to a server several times a day like major e-commerce companies do.