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why force your customers to expose their exact gps location when connecting to a wifi?

Forum|Forum|1 year ago
September 8, 2025
44 replies
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Why does your system force all IOS users of your app to expose their exact GPS location to simply connect a speaker to a base station?

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Best answer by Corry P

Hi @Steve1098482 et al

Thanks for your post. We understand that you might have concerns over Location Services being needed for setup of smart speakers that appear to need no such information. We have the following information to share:

Regarding iOS Precise Location: We understand that when you set permissions to "precise location" on an iPhone, the system has access to your exact location. However, it's important to clarify that this permission prompt is a function of the iOS operating system itself, as mandated by Apple for certain network-related functions, rather than a direct Sonos requirement. You, as the user, retain the ability to manage these settings within your iOS device and are able to disable this feature after the system is setup.
Our System's Use of Location Permission: Our system does not force you to enable "precise location" to set up or connect to a Sonos system in the way you perceive. The location permission is utilized by the Sonos app to determine your local network SSID for troubleshooting displays and to expedite the auto-join process if you have previously connected to multiple Sonos systems. It helps the app identify the correct local network for setup. Importantly, you can revoke this permission anytime after the initial setup is complete without impacting the ongoing functionality of your Sonos system.
No GPS in Sonos Speakers: Our speakers do not have built-in GPS or location telemetry systems. The connection between your speakers and the base station is established when they are within range of your local network, primarily using Wi-Fi and Bluetooth during setup. The precise location permission is not used for the speakers themselves to connect, but rather for your mobile device to identify and interact with your local network during the setup phase.
Data Storage: We do not store any information related to geographical locations. Our primary objective in enabling this setting during setup is solely to facilitate the initial connection of a new product and ensure its identification within a local network environment. We do not use this for building a database of precise customer locations for our internal benefit.

I hope this helps.

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Steve1098482Author

Trending Lyricist I

what is wrong with my mindset ?

I share your concern and I try to be very stingy with my details. None of the email clients that I use will automatically open anything. This frustrates spammers who use tracking cookies and links. If a spammer or scammer is persistent, I’ll instal a block at my email service. Over the years this has greatly reduced the spam because loads of spammers often use the same hijacked servers.

I’m also as stingy as I can be with websites storing and reporting my activity without totally destroying a website’s functionality. Many websites complain about this and demand that I enable things. Unless the website provides a critical function for me, I simply leave, rather than being harvested.

But, in this modern world where ads, tracking, and harvesting pay the bills, I must allow a certain amount of this in order to accomplish things.

Edit: The PC and iPad that I use for SONOS do not physically contain GPS hardware.

Thanks for your response

so Buzz, given your response, do you think it is acceptable and ok to Sonos to force all of its customers To expose their gps location when connecting a speaker to their base station?

the gps that I’m taking about is forced to exposed using the gps of your phone

so it is a good thing or a bad thing?

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Steve1098482Author

Trending Lyricist I

may I ask a direct question, do you think it is ok to force a person to expose their exact can’t gps location at any time to connect to a wifi?

If concerned about the possibility of GPS usage, use an iOS device without Cellular/GPS chipset for Sonos, eg iPad?

That is not possible to use such a device. Their app forces everyone to use “precise location” when connecting speakers to their base station

again, so you think it is “good” to expose your gps location when simply connecting a speaker to their bae station?

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Steve1098482Author

Trending Lyricist I

what is wrong with my mindset ?

I share your concern and I try to be very stingy with my details. None of the email clients that I use will automatically open anything. This frustrates spammers who use tracking cookies and links. If a spammer or scammer is persistent, I’ll instal a block at my email service. Over the years this has greatly reduced the spam because loads of spammers often use the same hijacked servers.

I’m also as stingy as I can be with websites storing and reporting my activity without totally destroying a website’s functionality. Many websites complain about this and demand that I enable things. Unless the website provides a critical function for me, I simply leave, rather than being harvested.

But, in this modern world where ads, tracking, and harvesting pay the bills, I must allow a certain amount of this in order to accomplish things.

Edit: The PC and iPad that I use for SONOS do not physically contain GPS hardware.

And just to be clear, the modern world is shaped by us, the customer at some point. If enough people actually understand the importance of exposing this kind of data to a speaker manufacturer and voice our concerns, hopefully they will get the message and change their abhorrent behaviour

jgatie

Someone should sell their abhorrent speakers, because I don't think the policy in question is going to change.

Hi jgatie

I think you are correct about selling them

but I ask you directly, do you think a company should force anyone to expose their exact location to connect to a wifi network?

it’s that simple, they don’t need to know the exact location at all.

it’s a moral question and a technical one

would you want your wife and children exposed to hackers knowing your home address plus the wifi ssid name and password

how safe does it make everyone feel

this is not right by any measure of being decent

A company which explicitly states in it’s privacy statement how the GPS data is used and that it is not stored is about number 5,682 down on my list of things to worry about. Especially when I carry around in my pocket a device which tracks my every movement and listens to everything I hear or say without me knowing about it, yet I still use that device. I simply don’t care, because any real expectation of privacy was thrown out the window a decade ago. YMMV.

buzz

Grand Maestro

You could take a SONOS unit to a remote location in your region, register it as a new system, then bring it home and add the other units. This would thwart the exact GPS data, but your IP address would locate you with reasonable accuracy. Of course you could take the whole system to the remote location for registration, however, you should never add new units, update anything, or access remote music at home because your IP address will become known.

Yes, I would prefer that SONOS not collect this data, but it does not keep me awake at night because the data is already out in the wilderness.

C

craigski

Local Superstar

again, so you think it is “good” to expose your gps location when simply connecting a speaker to their bae station?

When I’m inside my home, I do not get a precise GPS location, as there is no direct line of sight to the GPS satellites. You can use any iOS/iPadOS with a supported version to setup Sonos, there is no requirement for GPS:

https://support.sonos.com/en-gb/article/sonos-app-requirements

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Steve1098482Author

Trending Lyricist I

Someone should sell their abhorrent speakers, because I don't think the policy in question is going to change.

Hi jgatie

I think you are correct about selling them

but I ask you directly, do you think a company should force anyone to expose their exact location to connect to a wifi network?

it’s that simple, they don’t need to know the exact location at all.

it’s a moral question and a technical one

would you want your wife and children exposed to hackers knowing your home address plus the wifi ssid name and password

how safe does it make everyone feel

this is not right by any measure of being decent

A company which explicitly states in it’s privacy statement how the GPS data is used and that it is not stored is about number 5,682 down on my list of things to worry about. Especially when I carry around in my pocket a device which tracks my every movement and listens to everything I hear or say without me knowing about it, yet I still use that device. I simply don’t care, because any real expectation of privacy was thrown out the window a decade ago. YMMV.

Hi jgati

thanks very much for your response

you didn’t answer the question

is on if they force every customer to their exact gps location?

Stanley_4

Grand Maestro

Sonos should give everyone a chance to read the requirements before purchasing.

From that point it is on the consumer to decide.

To come back later and complain is just sad.

Own up to your failure and either live with the requirement or resell/return the Sonos and move on with your life.

jgatie

A company which explicitly states in it’s privacy statement how the GPS data is used and that it is not stored is about number 5,682 down on my list of things to worry about. Especially when I carry around in my pocket a device which tracks my every movement and listens to everything I hear or say without me knowing about it, yet I still use that device. I simply don’t care, because any real expectation of privacy was thrown out the window a decade ago. YMMV.

Hi jgati

thanks very much for your response

you didn’t answer the question

is on if they force every customer to their exact gps location?

I did answer the question. But let me answer it in a more direct way - I couldn't care less if they require every customer to enable GPS in order to setup the system, even if they are storing it or selling it. In addition, their privacy statement stating that they aren’t storing it or selling it makes me care even less than that.

Also, I have absolutely no fear of my loved ones being exposed to hackers because of GPS location data which is neither stored nor sold.

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Steve1098482Author

Trending Lyricist I

You could take a SONOS unit to a remote location in your region, register it as a new system, then bring it home and add the other units. This would thwart the exact GPS data, but your IP address would locate you with reasonable accuracy. Of course you could take the whole system to the remote location for registration, however, you should never add new units, update anything, or access remote music at home because your IP address will become known.

Yes, I would prefer that SONOS not collect this data, but it does not keep me awake at night because the data is already out in the wilderness.

I’m glad you said that you would prefer they don’t do extract our exact gps.

and your own example of a “remote” location is only way to stop their database holding the gps location. It is ijust not right

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