the new Sonos ios app update is TERRIBLE! DO NOT UPDATE!

Hi Folks,

Let me add an interesting twist.  This morning I wanted to setup a new Raom.  We have about ~20 Sonos speakers throughout the entire house that include Fives, ERA 300’s, ERA100’s, Arcs, Subs, One’s, Move’s and now a pair of Roams.  So, to be safe, I used my iPad, which I don;t use for Sonos all that much, to add the Roam.  I was forced to upgrade the app, OK, it’s the iPad, so I don’t really care.  Well, yes, I do.  Once the App updated and added the Roam, all the other old apps that I use, on the iPhone mostly or my Mac, ALL stopped working and saw nothing, no speakers, no music, no playlists, nothing.  We play music from ~6:00 am to ~8:00 pm every single day, without our system, we would lose it! 

The fix, after panic was replaced with determination to fix the system without the needing the new app, was to delete the app off the iPad, factory reset both Roams.  Once the Roams no longer existed, everything went back to normal with the old app.  But note, you cannot add any new speakers to your system with the old app.  If you do, beware, your entire system will require that everything is upgraded, not something I am currently willing to do with the state of the new app.  

Yes - you clearly did the App/Roam device updates, but it sounds like you didn’t do the other system speakers firmware update. It’s not even clear that you were using the same Household ID, under the same Sonos account credentials - but ‘yes’ it’s always been the case that you cannot add a new Sonos product (or a factory reset one) if you have chosen to keep your existing system on a Standstill-2 (S2) setup.

You are 100% correct, I did not want to risk updating all the systems then being forced to use the new App.  Many of the missing features are features that we use everyday.  Until the new App is fully functional, I cannot risk having so many features not working or just missing.  Also, this is all one household ID under one Sonos account as well, it’s only my wife and I here.  Unfortunately, until the App is fully functional, we cannot use the Roams and cannot add any new speakers.  Currently that’s not a big issue, but it will become one when the new Arc is released, as we are planning on upgrading both home theaters.   Pretty frustrating how this App was brought to market.  I work for a leading high-end Enterprise software company, so I am very familiar with releasing software and this has all the markings of not being fully tested in environments that replicate real life customer installs.  

If you want to prevent the app update from loading on your devices:

Turn off automatic updates

iOS:

https://www.lifewire.com/turn-off-auto-update-iphone-5206079 

Android: 

https://www.lifewire.com/turn-off-automatic-updates-on-android-5192496#toc-how-to-turn-off-automatic-app-updates-on-an-android-phone 

(Scroll a bit further to next section titled "Stop Automatic Updates for Specific Apps")

Hi….  Yes, auto update is off, turned that off across the board when the new app was announced.  I wanted to make sure it was solid first, but as mentioned, if you want to add a new speaker, you must upgrade and then the fun starts.  For now, I am leaving the system as is and not messing with anything until this new app is fully functional.  I hope that is sooner than later.  

I really hope someone in SONOS gets their comeuppance for this atrocity. Why on earth would anyone launch an update without thorough testing and essential features in place? They solved a few performance issues and created a system that feels like version 0.1. FUBAR. 
I sit here listening to songs on my EarPods now. Thanks. 

So you wish the company gets “comeuppance”?   Can I assume this means they go out of business and your speakers lose their value to the point they are useless, instead of getting things fixed and Sonos surviving as a company?  Strange way of looking at things

I sent an email to the CEO and to his personal email, no response.  in 2017, Bose was having issues with then SoundTouch, which is what I had back then.  I sent then CEO an email and within a day her personally responded and copied in one of his Development Executives.  We traded emails for many moths but SoundTouch was doomed and eventually I sold off all my Bose hardware and purchased all new Sonos gear.  Up until now, that app has been pretty solid, much better than SoundTouch.  I just hope that this is a lesson learned by Sonos leadership and that they ensure this never happens again.  

These f*****g a******s at Sonos.  I have two ios devices which had not updated to the new app, and have auto updates turned off.  SOMEHOW, the app was updated on both devices and I didn’t do it.

This new app is truly a piece of evil-ware.  I now have NO WAY to control my system since my last two devices have no been hosed.

If this doesn’t get fixed ASAP, the hardware is all going to the recycle barrel.  I’m LIVID at Sonos.  There is absolutely nohthing they could possibly do to regain my trust.

Sonos clearly doesn’t give a s**t about their customers.  I hope their stock drops to zero and they go out of business.  Bring back app version 16.1 go back to your corners and figure this out.