Removal of support for Android 5 & 6

  • 19 November 2019
  • 25 replies
  • 2053 views
D
Userlevel 4
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I was recently forced to update the Sonos app on my phone (Android 5), despite having done everything possible to avoid it, as in my experience app updates generally remove as much useful functionality they add.

My worst fears were realised last night when I tried to fix one of the all-too-regular issues with my Sonos setup and discovered that all the system management functionality had been removed from the app.

Am I alone in thinking that is completely unreasonable of Sonos to force me to “upgrade” to a version of their software which removes most of its functionality?  I appreciate that Sonos cannot reasonably be expected to maintain backwards compatibility with old versions of Android indefinitely, but Android 7 (the minimum requirement now) is barely three years old.

Combined with the fact that the PC desktop version of the app has been similarly deprecated of useful functionality, I am now stuck with £1000 of Sonos equipment which doesn’t work.  What am I supposed to do?  I spoke with Sonos support this morning who predictably told me to either upgrade my phone to Android 7 or “use a different device”, neither of which I am able to do.  They also rather unhelpfully told me to “Please bear in mind that It is not possible to revert to a previous version of Sonos software once an update has been performed”.  Well if that’s the case then maybe give users a warning before they upgrade that the new software is incompatible with the version of Android they are running!

Now I know that a lot of Sonos evangelists are early-adopter techy types who like nothing more than upgrading speaker firmware and experimenting with esoteric router settings, but there are a lot of us who see tech as a means to an end - we just want to plug the damn things in and forget about them.  So anybody who feels the need to have a go at me for having the temerity not to spend £800 on a new smartphone every year, please spare yourselves the effort.

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25 replies

J

I was recently forced to update the Sonos app on my phone (Android 5), despite having done everything possible to avoid it,

May I ask what you did to avoid it?

D
Userlevel 4
Badge +3

I turned off "auto-update apps" within Google Play Store on my phone and declined any optional updates of the Sonos app.

C
Userlevel 6
Badge +14

You could likely find a cheap ‘generic’ Chinese phone … but I agree with you about these endless updates which can cause so many issues for basic users.  I think Sonos is now becoming poor value for money - unless you have a newer phone,  a Mac or Windows then you’re likely to encounter configuration and operational issues.

J

Do you have ‘update automatically’ for the Sonos system turned off in the Sonos app?  Because once the system has updated the app must follow suit.  It is not sufficient just to disable / refuse updates in the app store.

melvimbe

I could be off on this, but I believe part of the reason that Sonos drops support for older OS version is because Google and Apple also drop support for the OS, meaning that Sonos can’t be sure that the OS is secure.  I’m not saying that this should change your mind on that matter, just additional information.

 

Also, you aren’t required to get though the latest model smartphone every year.  The current fire tablets from Amazon (~$50) are still on android 7, though perhaps they may not be supported much longer.  I think you can also expect that a current smartphone or tablet today would last at least 3 years, probably more.  My Galaxy bought 3.5 years ago (Galaxy 7 I believe) is on android 8 and still working just fine with Sonos (though yes, it’s no longer my primary phone).  There are lots of phones and tablets out there though that are marked lower in price that are already out of date.

 

Probably not the answers/comments you’re looking for, I know.  I suppose an answer would be for Sonos to have some sort of off-boarding program that makes it easier for customers to stay on older version of Sonos if they wish, though unsupported.  Of course, that has the negative side effect of losing that person as a customer since you can’t add speakers if you are not on the current Sonos version.

Danny
J

You could likely find a cheap ‘generic’ Chinese phone … but I agree with you about these endless updates which can cause so many issues for basic users.  I think Sonos is now becoming poor value for money - unless you have a newer phone,  a Mac or Windows then you’re likely to encounter configuration and operational issues.

i have some sympathy for@DunkirkPie (not that I expect him to care what I think).  But taking the Samsung Galaxy S series as an example, you would have had to have the S5 or earlier not to be able to run Android 7.  That takes us back around 5 years.  So I don’t think that is going to affect enough users to justify a blanket statement like ‘I think Sonos is now becoming poor value for money - unless you have a newer phone,  a Mac or Windows then you’re likely to encounter configuration and operational issues’.

D
Userlevel 4
Badge +3

Do you have ‘update automatically’ for the Sonos system turned off in the Sonos app?  Because once the system has updated the app must follow suit.  It is not sufficient just to disable / refuse updates in the app store.

I think this is probably what happened.  I wasn’t aware of that until I did some research this morning.

J

Do you have ‘update automatically’ for the Sonos system turned off in the Sonos app?  Because once the system has updated the app must follow suit.  It is not sufficient just to disable / refuse updates in the app store.

I think this is probably what happened.  I wasn’t aware of that until I did some research this morning.

That is unfortunate.  And I could understand that a lot of users would not be aware of this.  Most won’t be affected because they are running Android 7 or later, but clearly a few will be.

D
Userlevel 4
Badge +3

You could likely find a cheap ‘generic’ Chinese phone … but I agree with you about these endless updates which can cause so many issues for basic users.  I think Sonos is now becoming poor value for money - unless you have a newer phone,  a Mac or Windows then you’re likely to encounter configuration and operational issues.

I’m really not interested in getting another phone, I’m really happy with the one I have - it does everything I need it to do (well, except manage my Sonos).  If I can’t find a workaround for this issue then I am going to look into my rights under the UK Consumer Rights Act (2015).  There is specific provision with this Act pertaining to software updates; essentially you are not allowed to remove key existing functionality if it formed part of the “description” of the product when it was purchased.

https://www.which.co.uk/news/2019/06/has-your-sonos-speaker-stopped-working-with-an-old-apple-or-android-device/

J

Also, I don’t think Sonos wakes up one morning and thinks ‘Let’s shaft a few users today by semi-crippling the app on older phones’.  This doesn’t bring about any further sales of Sonos products, if anything the reverse, albeit negligibly.  It is really the case that the phone can no longer support the developing Sonos system, not the other way around, whether for security or technical reasons.

J

@DunkirkPie . If you have frequent problems that require management functions in the app then you need to get your system working properly.  Which system management function were you looking for and why?

C
Userlevel 6
Badge +14

I don’t think Sonos actively ‘cripples’ the controllers - they just fail to consider that some users are ‘happy’ with their devices as they are.  

I have no intention of buying another device and my devices work as I want them to.  So I’ve unstalled the apps from Android.  I hope that stops all these ‘updates’.  

D
Userlevel 4
Badge +3

Also, I don’t think Sonos wakes up one morning and thinks ‘Let’s shaft a few users today by semi-crippling the app on older phones’.  This doesn’t bring about any further sales of Sonos products, if anything the reverse, albeit negligibly.  It is really the case that the phone can no longer support the developing Sonos system, not the other way around, whether for security or technical reasons.

No, I don’t think they do, but also I don’t buy the argument that my 4-year old operating system has suddenly become incompatible with my 2-year old speakers.  I suspect Sonos wake up one morning and think “we can save a lot of time, effort and money by removing support for older versions of Android, and it will only annoy a disproportionately small number of our customers, so stuff them”.

J

I very much doubt it saves much money to have Android 7 but not 6, but it would be naive to think cost is not a factor at all. I expect companies to consider costs and benefits and alternative uses for resources.

You have clearly been adversely affected by this. We'll just have to differ on the likely mix of reasons. Neither of us knows the full pictire for sure.

V

I just received a Sonos Move speaker (dfirst Sonos product) and I find out that I can not set it up because my phone is still on Android 6.  Phone is not that old.  Sadly, my wife’s phone is the same. The Windows app can not set it up either.  I guess I’ll have to find a way to return it or sell it :(

Airgetlam

Or find a friend that has a newer phone you can borrow for the 3 minutes it takes to set up...

Bruce
D
Userlevel 4
Badge +3

It is really the case that the phone can no longer support the developing Sonos system, not the other way around, whether for security or technical reasons.

 

I’m afraid I’m calling BS on this argument.  High street banks don’t seem to think there are security implications with continuing to support Android 6.

Airgetlam

However, game companies do. 

Bruce
D
Userlevel 4
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“Game companies” such as?

Airgetlam

Disney?

RockYou? (No longer in existence)

Bruce
J

It is really the case that the phone can no longer support the developing Sonos system, not the other way around, whether for security or technical reasons.

 

I’m afraid I’m calling BS on this argument.  High street banks don’t seem to think there are security implications with continuing to support Android 6.

I said there could be te technical or security reasons as a general comment. 

Anyway, mske your  mind up. Get a newer device, borrow a friend's phone, or sell your Sonos. 

Airgetlam

Interesting that that bank is unable to spell Android ;)

Bruce
J

Interesting that that bank is unable to spell Android ;)

Yes I noticed that! Doesn't inspire confidence does it?

Airgetlam

Certainly won’t put my money there...but then again, I bank with Wells Fargo. A lesser evil than BankAmerica, but not much. 

Bruce
J

It is really the case that the phone can no longer support the developing Sonos system, not the other way around, whether for security or technical reasons.

 

I’m afraid I’m calling BS on this argument.  High street banks don’t seem to think there are security implications with continuing to support Android 6.

I said there could be te technical or security reasons as a general comment. 

Anyway, mske your  mind up. Get a newer device, borrow a friend's phone, or sell your Sonos. 

Well I've msde my mind up that you're a patronising person. Go **** yourself, sonos fanboy. 
 

Moderator edit: removed words that don’t meet the standards of conduct for this community 

Thank you at least for the compliment of ‘fanboy’.  Merry Christmas. 

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