New app takes 5 minutes to open

I suspected this would be the case, but unfortunately myself and many others who don’t get suckered into buying a new phone every 2 years are stuck on old versions of Android.

It’s still an issue that needs solving, given there were no issues with the old Sonos app on Android 11.

Update for my Mi 9T Pro. I flashed new ROM (Evolution X A14 - before I had original ROM with A11) and the 2minute boot time of the APP is finally gone! Seems like the A11 was the problem. 

I posted some findings on similar issue on my phone at

Seems to be really phone-specific, but looking at the symptoms I think that Sonos engineering should be able to solve that by reworking their code. I just have no idea how to get the info to them...

I am also on a Mi 9 T Pro with original Rom/Android 11. The app needs forever to startup. I might look into installing a custom rom on my phone if that fixes my speakers...

A couple of precisions on my own findings, as reported in separate topic (see above).

1. If the app is loading slowly even when the phone is in flight mode, then don't waste time trying to debug the router, network or other player-related issues. Most likely, the issue is the same as mine, i.e livelock during app loading.
2. Such livelocks are unpredictable, the underlying semaphore handling is typically not even part of operating system (android) but of the phone manufacturer firmware. A phone firmware update may indeed make the issue disappear (or become worse… ), likewise any change in the environment (such as an android update) may alter the behavior and reduce the issue to the point that it is not noticeable an more.
3. Likewise, a newer phone is likely to not experience the issue, although there is no guarantee. Semaphore handling has been a headache in the ARM processor architecture since decades, and there have been significant evolutions of the underlying hardware mechanisms in recent years that should minimize the probability of such occurrences, but each phone processor manufacturer ultimately decides which versions of the mechanisms are embedded in the hardware and used by the firmware for each processor : apps developers have no control over this (especially considering the thousands of different phone types). The only way to work around the issue, once identified, is for the apps developers to avoid using the semaphores in their code - or put integrate sloppy workarounds that somehow resolve the livelock faster. It is somewhat unfortunate that at the same time that Sonos indeed totally messed up on their new app quality, they also activated this unpredictable issue, compounding it into an absolute disaster….

The Sonos app lag is specific to the phone model and Android version.  Permanently resolving this issue is hopeless.  The ultimate solution is to purchase a new phone.  The Sonos app conflicts with some versions of Android and some phone models.

I had this exact problem.  My symptoms matched those listed in this topic: slow app startup, frozen app, devices not showing, etc.  My Sonos app was unusable.  At times I got the app working just enough to activate my Sonos speakers.  Trying anything more was an exercise in frustration.

I waited for updates, tried app rollbacks, reinstalled the app, studied support posts, tinkered with my account, tinkered with my router, etc.  I found no permanent solution.  The Sonos app problems lasted nearly a year.  Eventually I happened to replace my smart phone.  The Sonos app now works fine on my new phone.  The Sonos app problems did not carry-over to my new phone.

My previous phone (with the Sonos problems) was a Motorola G Power 2020 running Android.  My new phone (without the Sonos problems) is a Google Pixel 8 running Android.  The Sonos app was unusable on my Moto-G Power 2020.  The Sonos app functions properly on my Pixel-8.  No other equipment or account settings were changed.

I’d be curious if folks with this problem have the same trouble with my own just-released Android app (see profile).