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iOS update - can't switch room control??

  • 6 October 2017
  • 22 replies
  • 2445 views
T
Userlevel 2
Hi - potentially a stupid question, but after the new update to iOS 11 and associated Sonos Controller update on iPhone, I can't figure out how to switch the room I am controlling sound for.

As an example - my controller now can control "Living Room". No problem. But if I go upstairs and want to control "Bedroom", I can't switch control away from "Living Room" to "Bedroom". In the old app it was easy, but I can't figure out how make the switch in the new app. Tapping on the bottom middle room icon merely brings up a list of my Sonos locations and the option/ability to group/ungroup speakers, which doesn't solve my problem.

Any ideas? Thanks in advance.
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Best answer by Ryan S 6 October 2017, 22:06

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22 replies

jgatie
From the Rooms screen you found, tap on a room (not on the group button).
T
Userlevel 2
Thanks - I did that (and am doing it now). Tapping on the room only appears to group that room to what is playing, and not switch control to that room.
D
Userlevel 2
Badge +1
Not the red room name on the "now playing" screen.
Bring up the bottom dock/shortcuts. The "Rooms" icon in that toolbar.
testcard
Userlevel 4
Badge +8
In the Now Playing Screen (not the icon dock), at the bottom, tap the room location in red text, then tick appropriately.
T
Userlevel 2
Thanks deljaso - how do i 'bring up the bottom dock/shortcuts'? I feel so stupid for even asking this question for the record. But if I swipe up from the bottom it brings up the iOS control panel. Clicking on the red room name only brings up grouping/ungrouping. The music icon to the right of the volume slider is for volume by room, and it is the song queue that gets on the screen if I tap on the icon to the right of the slider.

Sorry for being clueless, and thanks all for your patience.
testcard
Userlevel 4
Badge +8
On my iPad, selecting the Rooms icon allows Grouping, the red text changes room control.
T
Userlevel 2
Hmm - I wonder if it is different for iPhone. I actually don't see a Rooms icon...
Ryan S
Userlevel 7
Badge +26
In the Now Playing Screen (not the icon dock), at the bottom, tap the room location in red text, then tick appropriately.
This is to group rooms together, to change the room control, follow these directions:
Not the red room name on the "now playing" screen.
Bring up the bottom dock/shortcuts. The "Rooms" icon in that toolbar.
You can swipe the Now Playing screen down and you'll see the tabs at the bottom, pick the one with the House icon.
Mark good posts by pressing the like button, and select the best answer on questions you've asked to help others find solutions.
J
Userlevel 2
Badge +2
edit - Ryan explained it better
testcard
Userlevel 4
Badge +8
In iOS I can create a group by ticking two locations, Kitchen and Living Room, from the red text on the Now Playing Screen as well as by tapping the Rooms icon.
D
Userlevel 2
Badge +1
In iOS I can create a group by ticking two locations, Kitchen and Living Room, from the red text on the Now Playing Screen as well as by tapping the Rooms icon.

Yeah, the OP wanted a way to switch the controller between the rooms - he knows how to group them.
J
Userlevel 2
Badge +2
Hmm - I wonder if it is different for iPhone. I actually don't see a Rooms icon...

It’s the same on iPhone. From the ‘now playing’ screen, either hit the small down arrow in the top left,or swipe down from the top. This will open the menu up at the bottom. Then select ‘Rooms’.
testcard
Userlevel 4
Badge +8
But you can achieve the same thing in the Now Playing screen by ticking/unticking the source Rooms.
J
Userlevel 2
Badge +2
I don’t think you can? It doesn’t let you switch to a new room and play a different song? I’ve missed that if it does. It’s only for grouping with what’s currently playing.
polarbearmusic
Userlevel 4
Badge +1
Thanks deljaso - how do i 'bring up the bottom dock/shortcuts'? I feel so stupid for even asking this question for the record. But if I swipe up from the bottom it brings up the iOS control panel. Clicking on the red room name only brings up grouping/ungrouping. The music icon to the right of the volume slider is for volume by room, and it is the song queue that gets on the screen if I tap on the icon to the right of the slider.

Sorry for being clueless, and thanks all for your patience.

torontopaul: You are not being clueless. Many users on the forum, Apple App Store, and Google Play store are experiencing similar frustration. The general consensus is that the new interface is not as intuitive as the previous version. One of the features of good UI/UX design is meeting user expectations and matching the design to the user's mental model.

From ux.princeton.edu:
If you want to create intuitive designs, you need to start by understanding the user’s mental model. You can then design to fit the user’s expectations as closely as possible.
.
T
Userlevel 2
Thanks everyone. As the last post says - it really isn't intuitive. I am fairly tech savvy and couldn't figure this out. Perhaps I am the exception, but it was a big change for this feature and I just couldn't figure out. Perhaps it was the white/black contrast that has been mentioned in other threads which made it not apparent that there was a black background ribbon of buttons on the bottom that I just didn't see?

I don't know - but regardless thank you all for your help. And for the record, I wouldn't trade Sonos for anything right now. It rocks.

P
O
Userlevel 1
Thanks everyone. As the last post says - it really isn't intuitive. I am fairly tech savvy and couldn't figure this out. Perhaps I am the exception, but it was a big change for this feature and I just couldn't figure out. Perhaps it was the white/black contrast that has been mentioned in other threads which made it not apparent that there was a black background ribbon of buttons on the bottom that I just didn't see?

I don't know - but regardless thank you all for your help. And for the record, I wouldn't trade Sonos for anything right now. It rocks.

P

I figured it out too, pretty much straight away but that's not the issue, at least not for me.

I've just being playing a Spotify playlist on my Mac and I wanted to go back a song without walking over to the computer, so I broke out the iPhone. The problem was, the Sonos 8.0 iOS 11 app was set to the 'bedroom' and I wanted it changed to the 'office' where the music is playing from - the 'bedroom' wasn't playing anything, just set to play 'Radio X' if I pressed play. I did as Ryan S said to do and It just wouldn't do it. It wouldn't let me connect to the room I was in.

I tried 8-10 times and in the end just walked over to the Mac and done it from there.
P
Userlevel 1
Badge
Thanks deljaso - how do i 'bring up the bottom dock/shortcuts'? I feel so stupid for even asking this question for the record. But if I swipe up from the bottom it brings up the iOS control panel. Clicking on the red room name only brings up grouping/ungrouping. The music icon to the right of the volume slider is for volume by room, and it is the song queue that gets on the screen if I tap on the icon to the right of the slider.

Sorry for being clueless, and thanks all for your patience.

torontopaul: You are not being clueless. Many users on the forum, Apple App Store, and Google Play store are experiencing similar frustration. The general consensus is that the new interface is not as intuitive as the previous version. One of the features of good UI/UX design is meeting user expectations and matching the design to the user's mental model.

From ux.princeton.edu:
If you want to create intuitive designs, you need to start by understanding the user’s mental model. You can then design to fit the user’s expectations as closely as possible.
.
P
Userlevel 1
Badge
Right on polarbear. I had the same problem as torontopaul - because the interface is not at all intuitive. Thanks to all who helped clear it up.
J
Thanks everyone. As the last post says - it really isn't intuitive. I am fairly tech savvy and couldn't figure this out. Perhaps I am the exception, but it was a big change for this feature and I just couldn't figure out. Perhaps it was the white/black contrast that has been mentioned in other threads which made it not apparent that there was a black background ribbon of buttons on the bottom that I just didn't see?

I don't know - but regardless thank you all for your help. And for the record, I wouldn't trade Sonos for anything right now. It rocks.

P

I figured it out too, pretty much straight away but that's not the issue, at least not for me.

I've just being playing a Spotify playlist on my Mac and I wanted to go back a song without walking over to the computer, so I broke out the iPhone. The problem was, the Sonos 8.0 iOS 11 app was set to the 'bedroom' and I wanted it changed to the 'office' where the music is playing from - the 'bedroom' wasn't playing anything, just set to play 'Radio X' if I pressed play. I did as Ryan S said to do and It just wouldn't do it. It wouldn't let me connect to the room I was in.

I tried 8-10 times and in the end just walked over to the Mac and done it from there.To take control of any room:

1. Tap the Rooms button on the navigation bar (if you are on the now playing screen, swipe it down to reveal the nav bar)
2. Double tap the room you want to control and you will go back to the Now Playing screen with control of that room.

I have done this dozens of times and have not yet had it fail.

Do not attempt to use the 'red room' dropdown on the Now Playing screen for this. (Or indeed anything)

Possibly there was a connection issue with your phone although I realise that is speculative.
S
Thank you so much for this topic and the answers. I couldn't figure this out as well and it made me feel extremely stupid. I'm usually fairly tech savvy and have had a few Sonos players for about 5 years.

This is the worst app update to date. Not intuitive at all! I open the app about 15 times a day and since the update I have to actively think and search for how to do what I want to do. That is after having the update for a month or so already... either I'm stupid or the new update is a major fail.
S
Now that I know how it works it's actually really insane to think that I couldn't figure it out myself seeing as how easy it is. It is strange how the brain works. Like somebody said maybe it is the contrast. But even though it seems easy (now), Sonos did apparently not research the users mental model seeing how many have a problem with it.
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