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Airlike
Contributor I
August 26, 2025

How come third-party app does it better with lockscreen controls?

  • August 26, 2025
  • 4 replies
  • 400 views

I just downloaded the third-party app Sonify which released earlier this week and from a first impression it is much faster than the official app AND provides lockscreen controls on my iPhone incl. physical iphone volume buttons for volume control! How can it be that a third-party app does it better and gets released to the app store which somewhat suggests that lockscreen controls are not only reserved for Apple and Spotify apparently… 

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    4 replies

    Airgetlam
    Airgetlam
    August 26, 2025

    Likely that the third party’s sales are so small that they haven’t been targeted by either Google or Apple yet, like Sonos was. I suspect it is just a matter of time before they’re forced, like Sonos, into compliance. 

    Bruce
      jgatie
      jgatie
      August 26, 2025

      In addition to ​@Airgetlam’s point about the lock screen controls, the 3rd party app is probably using the old access method and is not up to date with the latest Sonos API.  Sonos revamped the entire app for some reason (it is suspected that the new access method will stave off the retirement of legacy equipment like what happened in the S1/S2 split).  Eventually, the 3rd party app will cease working or have to adapt as Sonos phases out the old methods. 

        Muggles
        Lyricist III
        August 26, 2025

        I just downloaded the third-party app Sonify which released earlier this week and from a first impression it is much faster than the official app AND provides lockscreen controls on my iPhone incl. physical iphone volume buttons for volume control! How can it be that a third-party app does it better and gets released to the app store which somewhat suggests that lockscreen controls are not only reserved for Apple and Spotify apparently… 

         

        For the volume buttons there’s been some discussion of this on Reddit. To summarize others’ comments: Sonify is using the (newish) iOS Now Playing API. Maybe this  is something Sonos could support if they see this as a priority. 

        controlav
        controlav
        Lead Maestro
        August 28, 2025

        In addition to ​@Airgetlam’s point about the lock screen controls, the 3rd party app is probably using the old access method and is not up to date with the latest Sonos API.  Sonos revamped the entire app for some reason (it is suspected that the new access method will stave off the retirement of legacy equipment like what happened in the S1/S2 split).  Eventually, the 3rd party app will cease working or have to adapt as Sonos phases out the old methods. 

        Sonify does not use the UPnP APIs that you are referring to, it uses the super-secret LAN Control API.

        Author of the leading independent Sonos apps for Android, MacOS, iOS, Windows and Xbox.
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