SONOS integrated with Echo / Alexa?

another news on this topic, October 4, 2017 , let's see... what it will be:

https://www.theverge.com/2017/8/29/16219474/sonos-voice-assisted-speaker-event

The "new updates" are to the privacy statement, not to the system. Though the release of voice control is obviously coming, the email does not suggest it will be next week, only that the new privacy policies will be released.

It's not definitive, but the email I received does imply there will be updated software next week:

"We’re introducing some important updates to our Privacy Statement. You will be asked to acknowledge this new policy when the new software and system updates are available next week. The new Privacy Statement covers what information we collect, how we use it, and the choices you can make about both."

Skipping back a few weeks, Johnnie Walker, I agree that your post added value. You didn't try to push it as "the perfect solution", but it is a workaround answer to the original question, while we wait for next week's beta release. It is useful information, optional, and potentially helpful to some. It wouldn't even bother me if the software in question were yours, as it still is an optional answer for whoever wants to try it.

Any reader can take or leave your solution, but it adds one way to skin the cat. So thanks. I can't believe you had to spend so much fuel defending your posts, and wish someone had your back sooner than today.

[Last Updated: August 2017]

Sonos respects your privacy and your rights to control your personal data. Our guiding principles are simple. We will be transparent about what data we’re collecting and why. We will protect your data as though it is sacred. And we do not and will not sell your data to third parties.

The overarching purpose of collecting your data is to improve your listening experience. Whether we're collaborating with music services to make sure you have access to your favorite playlists, giving you the ability to control Sonos with the sound of your voice or the touch of your smart home system, or offering you highly responsive customer support so you can get the music playing again when something goes wrong, our goal is for you to listen as effortlessly as possible.

“...mostly bug fixes and cosmetic changes”. Yes, that’s pretty much what a new OS involves.

Sure, I'm downplaying it a bit. I'm sure there's no features and such. But for the most part, it's not making drastic changes to what already works, and the development and test process is relatively routine. Hence their ability to knock it out fairly quickly. It's not the same as doing an integration where 2 sets of management are involved, negotiations on what features to implement occur, and figuring out which company will be responsible for which feature.

Again, you can't simply conclude that Sonos or Amazon are slacking off because Apple is able to produce a completely unrelated iOS upgrade. By that logic, you could also complain that Apple's Homepod should already be on the market.

I subscribe to Apple Music and at the moment Alexa only responds to Spotify and others but not Apple. Will I be able to control my Apple Music in Sonos via Alexa voice control or is all my waiting in vain and I'll have to switch to another supported music service?
Why is this a big deal if you have a monthly plan with Apple Music? Even if you don't wait till the end of any month to switch, all you will lose is less than ten bucks?

“...mostly bug fixes and cosmetic changes”. Yes, that’s pretty much what a new OS involves.

In defence of Apple, they will have managed to release iOS 10 and iOS 11 in the time we’ve been awaiting Alexa integration.

Will you be able to play Apple music through Amazon? I've not seen an announcement, but if I had to guess, I'd say no. I just don't think Apple and/or Amazon is going to want that, as it discourages sales of there own respective music services and/or voice assistants. I could absolutely be wrong though. It might not be worth the effort of making exclusions like Apple (and maybe Google) through voice command, but still allowing through the sonos app.

Even if you can play Apple with this setup, I don't know that it's the best time to be using Apple music, if you like Sonos and Amazon. Apple is arguably competing with both Sonos and Amazon in the release of their homepod, and I can see them pulling access to Apple music in order to lessen the value of compete products. Then again, maybe they won't, as the potential loss of business may be too much. Who knows.

All that said though, I think it makes sense to align your music source provider of choice with your voice assistant of choice. That integration will always be the tightest. Next best would be to go with a popular neutral music source like Pandora, Spotfiy, or sirrius xm, as these should have the next best integration.

I appreciate it's still in Beta so nothing can be divulged, but can someone at least tell me this otherwise it's pointless me waiting for the official roll out.
I subscribe to Apple Music and at the moment Alexa only responds to Spotify and others but not Apple. Will I be able to control my Apple Music in Sonos via Alexa voice control or is all my waiting in vain and I'll have to switch to another supported music service?

To answer the question a different way. You cannot currently say "Alexa play XXXX" and song XXX will play on you're sonos speakers (unless alexa line out is connected to Sonos line in). However, there are several different 3rd party solutions out there utilize the sonos API and Alexa API to sort of simulate that situation. In reality though, you aren't telling Alexa to play through Sonos, you're affecting executing a prescripted command to have you're 3rd party solution send a command to Sonos 'on the back end' so to speak. It works fine for may situations (I use one solution myself for some scenarios), but it is not as ideal as the upcoming direct integration between Alexa and Sonos.
Yeah it's certainly not an elegant solution, as something that works the way we all want it to work obviously isn't easy, as I'm sure the months of work by Sonos themselves can testify to.
I know I'm achieving the desired results in a roundabout way, but to me it really doesn't matter how it works, it just does, at least until a better/official solution is available.
I can and do tell Alexa to play music on my sonos speakers, because in effect my Echo Dot line out is permanently connected to my sonos line in, except that in my case the link is via Bluetooth and instead of a physical line in I'm streaming the audio as a radio station.
I can just leave my sonos app permanently on that 'radio station' which is actually the output of my Echo Dot and start, stop, adjust volume, change tracks etc using my voice.

As I only have 2 play 1's (no line in) in a stereo pair in my house, I don't need any more functionality than that. But of course I can see that others would need more functionality such as playing to different groups of speakers etc.

I don't consider that a solution. It's a Rube Golberg hack. Yonomi and others are far more advanced, and I don't recommend those either.

By the way, your linked was removed on your other thread, so the mods agree with me about your Spam.

Ok, I see how you got it to work. I wouldn't really call that an integration though, your just redirecting the audio from Alexa to Sonos. You're not doing much different than Alexa's line out to a Sonos line in. If you have a sonos device with line in, you wouldn't need your mac to do any streaming. Just plug the Bluetooth receiver into the line in.

Oh, and you can't control which zone plays from Alexa can you? If you give Alexa a command it's going to go through Sonos, right? If you are listen to a different source (like tv) your Echo completely losses it's voice, right?

I think I'd rather go with what I have and wait for the real thing.
Fair enough, it's not perfect, but cheaper than a Play 5.