Answered

complaint about the End of Software Updates

  • 22 January 2020
  • 62 replies
  • 2845 views
Show first post
This topic has been closed for further comments. You can use the search bar to find a similar topic, or create a new one by clicking Create Topic at the top of the page.

62 replies

melvimbe

In reality, they should sell the speakers with a subscription. For example, buy a speaker for $500 with a 3 year software subscription, and then you have to pay monthly or buy a new one to keep your subs going (the updates). This would have been much more honest than saying the speakers "are old" and can't support playing music, which is a lie - they can keep them going basically for as long as they want to. 

 

 

As it stands now, you have a minimum of 5 years without a subscription.  I’m not seeing how paying full price for a speaker (assuming you’re talking about the play:5) with a subscription on top of that would be more appealing to customers.  If there was just a rental/subscription fee without having to buy the speaker, that would be different.   As it stands right now, if a speaker was no longer supportted after 5 years (60 months), the $500 speaker is costing about $8.33 a month...most likely cheaper.  And that really only covers the period where you are receiving regular updates, since you will receive bug fixes and such with current functionality after that period, as it stands right now.

 

But then, that would require guts to actually say it - and a lot more competence to implement it. Would I pay, most likely yes - since the expectations would be CLEAR. 

 

 

I would not have.   Besides the fact that your plan costs more, even if it worked out to be even I would rather own then rent, so that I could then sell the unit if I no longer needed it.  Sonos has the trade in program if I prefer.  My overall costs are less than what you’re proposing.

 

Believe me, I never comment online, I find it absurd most of the time - but Sonos botched this. They built a customer base with certain expectations, and they are choosing a dishonest way to change (blame technology, instead of admitting they need more cash).

 

I agree that they botched this.  It could have been presented in a much more positive manner, and I think Sonos should have let customers know this was coming a lot sooner.  But hindsight is 20/20.  I don’t believe Sonos is lying about the limits of the hardware in legacy products.

Danny
bockersjv
Userlevel 7
Badge +21

I suspect another troll. This change was made in May and 3 months later this is the first post😳

B
Userlevel 1

Sonos and  Denon settled out of court and HEOS continues to be sold.

Besides Bluesound, Sonos is also suing Google and has publicly stated that they will sue Amazon after Google. 

The lawsuits aren't surprising since Google and Amazon are reportedly out selling Sonos big time. 

There are a lot of reasons to not buy Bluesound but being sued by Sonos wouldn't factor too high for me, ymmv. (But TBH I would never buy Bluesound)

 

What would you but instead of Bluesound?

B
Userlevel 1

What would you buy instead of Bluesound?

F

Well guess what Sonos Community, my PLAY 5 has been acting up since shortly after Mr Spence issued his assurance that his products would continue to operate “as they do today”. Well, today I was advised by Sonos Technical Support that the fault with my Play 5 is associated with the device memory and I have no option but to replace it or upgrade it! Seems a wee bit coincidental that, after many years of trouble free use, this Play 5 can no longer be supported and constantly drops off the mixed generation Group.

So my Connect:Amp, Bridge, and Connect might shortly start to suffer the same issues as the Play 5 so I will be left with 4 Play 1’s and a Boost that I might be able to reconfigure into a smaller system.

Time to consider an alternative to Sonos which will cost thousands of pounds to replicate the configuration that I have/had!

It would be interesting to know if any other Play 5 users have experienced their Play 5 dropping off the Sonos network over the past 2 weeks!

 

cheers

Brian

melvimbe

Well guess what Sonos Community, my PLAY 5 has been acting up since shortly after Mr Spence issued his assurance that his products would continue to operate “as they do today”. Well, today I was advised by Sonos Technical Support that the fault with my Play 5 is associated with the device memory and I have no option but to replace it or upgrade it! Seems a wee bit coincidental that, after many years of trouble free use, this Play 5 can no longer be supported and constantly drops off the mixed generation Group.

 

 

Think about this theory a little bit more.  If Sonos was going to subtly kill off legacy devices, why would they bother announcing a plan for legacy devices to stay on a legacy system version of Sonos?  How would they keep people from figuring out what’s going on?  If they can’t really keep people from figuring it out (because they wouldn’t be able to), why not just bite the bullet and announce that these devices would no longer work at all in May?  If every legacy device is going to mysteriously and intentionally fail in the next few months, what kind of workload are they putting on the tech support staff?  How worse of a PR nightmare would that be then what Sonos already has to deal with?

 

 

So my Connect:Amp, Bridge, and Connect might shortly start to suffer the same issues as the Play 5 so I will be left with 4 Play 1’s and a Boost that I might be able to reconfigure into a smaller system.

 

 

Not likely. 

 

Time to consider an alternative to Sonos which will cost thousands of pounds to replicate the configuration that I have/had!

It would be interesting to know if any other Play 5 users have experienced their Play 5 dropping off the Sonos network over the past 2 weeks!

 

Why just play:5 users, since your theory is that all legacy products have been sabotaged?  How many responses do you need before you can claim your conspiracy theory is true?

Danny
jgatie

They don’t have a plan for legacy devices. I have an email from them saying they are working to see if they can find a way to allow my Amp (less than 4 years Old) continue to work with my other Sonos devices. If not I will have to run two separate systems or upgrade my two Amps.

Customer Service. NOT!

 

 

More misinformation.  There is a plan for legacy devices, and it is spelled out here: A letter from our CEO: All Sonos products will continue to work past May

 

In summary: As of May 20, if you choose to keep your system as is, it will work just like it does today.  In the future it will receive bug fixes and security updates, but it will not receive new features.  

 

 

jgatie

Not what your support told me. 
I was informed by them that the two Amps would probably have to be in sepgroups if they cannot find a way for them to remain in the existing system. 

 

Not my support, I don’t work for Sonos.  Sonos employees are marked as such.  I’m just quoting the CEO, who put it in writing, unlike a second hand quote from a low level support person.  

jgatie

A CEO who has a novel way of trying to increase sales by making equipment obsolete after less than 4 years and offers a pathetic discount to get you to upgrade. Not my favourite company at the moment. 

 

Your feelings about the CEO and/or company does not negate the fact you were posting misinformation. 

jgatie

Just posting what Sonos are telling me!

 

Well then I hope my posting of the actual plan has helped to clarify what the support people were trying to say and got muddied up. 

J

@Slayer69 .  Could you explain in what sense you are a loyal customer?

jgatie

I do hope Sonos get the message. They are alienating a lot of loyal customers. I have spent about £1,200 on Sonos equipment over the last few years. I am not happy that it will shortly be junk. This old version of Sonos equipment was was still being sold by John Lewis staff until 9 months ago with Sonos badged staff. Do the customers they sold to realise they were being conned.

 

 

  1. Anything bought “in the last few years” are not legacy.  All legacy items were manufactured at least 5 years ago.
  2. They will not “shortly be junk”.  They will continue to operate as they do today, with updates for security and bug fixes.
  3. If John Lewis was selling old stock, your beef is with them, not Sonos.  Though I highly doubt that was the case.  Are you sure your items are actually legacy?  Connect models manufactured after 2015 are modern, despite having the same model names as those manufactured before then which are legacy.  

Unless Sonos come up with a better offer or continue to support my investment in them I will not be buying from them again and I will not be recommending them. I feel guilty for promoting Sonos to my friends and embarressed that they have also purchased on my recommendation. Sonos is going to loose alot of business by word of mouth. 

  

 

Blah,blah,blah. 

Terms & ConditionsCookie settings