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dboyd294
Contributor I
January 23, 2020

End of Software Update Program

I have spent over $1500 for my Sonos system which is less than 3 years old and now I’m told that my Sonos Bridge and Play: 5 speaker needs to be replaced before May or they will lose their functionality. All that Sonos is offering is a 30% discount on a new speaker, but I paid over $600 for these two products. I think this is poor marketing and strategic planning on Sonos part. If I had known your products functionality would cease after 3 years, I would never have purchased your product. Am I expected to upgrade various products of my system every 3 years? Your products are not inexpensive, so the average user must save in order to purchase your product. You are about to lose a valuable customer.

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      Ryan S
      Ryan S
      Retired Sonos Staff
      January 23, 2020

      There’s no specific set refresh rate for devices, some things will be sold for longer than others. And even when we do stop selling something, that doesn’t immediately put a 5 year clock on it. We’re going to keep products as modern and updating for as long as possible. That’s what we did here, with devices developed over a decade ago. Some of them 15 years ago. They’re just at the point now where we simply can’t keep updating them.

       

      Also, even after they moved into legacy, they’ll keep on working. If you had a Playbar and a Sub and in some time in the future they wind up becoming legacy and stop updating, the optical connection should be able to keep on playing the TV until the device breaks. Some services will probably break over time, but much of it won’t.

      Mark good posts by pressing the like button, and select the best answer on questions you've asked to help others find solutions.
        xasx4
        Lyricist I
        January 23, 2020

        I have spent over $1500 for my Sonos system which is less than 3 years old and now I’m told that my Sonos Bridge and Play: 5 speaker needs to be replaced before May or they will lose their functionality. All that Sonos is offering is a 30% discount on a new speaker, but I paid over $600 for these two products. I think this is poor marketing and strategic planning on Sonos part. If I had known your products functionality would cease after 3 years, I would never have purchased your product. Am I expected to upgrade various products of my system every 3 years? Your products are not inexpensive, so the average user must save in order to purchase your product. You are about to lose a valuable customer.

        Just bought the Beam and was planning to get the SLs. Sounds like I should return it. I used my last sound system for 20 years.

          Rusty1
          Contributor I
          January 23, 2020

          Wow Sonos.  Just had to voice my displeasure in the news that support will be taken away from perfectly good speakers.   I have invested in the products, but am regretting my decision.  I was making an investment for the long term and now am made aware that it will probably be 5 years or so before my system is made obsolete.  Awful for your customers and awful for the environment….but great for your bottom line given that you’re only providing a 30% trade back.  Would have been great if you were more upfront with you’re customers and let them know that they were purchasing disposable product before they invested thousands.   

          Was strongly considering picking up the Move, but not any more.   Shame Sonos.  Shame. 

            xasx4
            Lyricist I
            January 24, 2020

            CEO Responds

            szkorupa
            Lyricist III
            January 27, 2020

            Sorry, but I do not buy all this legacy . Either the whole system works on some basic level and old and new speakers can be grouped or there is no point to it at all! You can split your legs if you want but you will not be splitting/dicing/slicing the ecosystem if you want to retain your customers.

            Additionally I keep asking for clear roadmap to legacy for every product currently sold. This should be IN BOLD letters on your website by now so that customers can make an informed decision.

             

            jgatie
            jgatie
            January 27, 2020

            Sorry, but I do not buy all this legacy crap. Either the whole system works on some basic level and old and new speakers can be grouped or there is no point to it at all! You can split your legs if you want but you will not be splitting/dicing/slicing the ecosystem if you want to retain your customers.

            Additionally I keep asking for clear roadmap to legacy for every product currently sold. This should be IN BOLD letters on your website by now so that customers can make an informed decision.

             

            The system will “work on some level”.  It will stay at the legacy software and function exactly as it does today.  You will get bug fixes and security updates, you just will not get new features.  There is no need to split your system unless you wish to get new features on the modern products.  

            szkorupa
            Lyricist III
            January 29, 2020

            Sorry, but I do not buy all this legacy crap. Either the whole system works on some basic level and old and new speakers can be grouped or there is no point to it at all! You can split your legs if you want but you will not be splitting/dicing/slicing the ecosystem if you want to retain your customers.

            Additionally I keep asking for clear roadmap to legacy for every product currently sold. This should be IN BOLD letters on your website by now so that customers can make an informed decision.

             

            The system will “work on some level”.  It will stay at the legacy software and function exactly as it does today.  You will get bug fixes and security updates, you just will not get new features.  There is no need to split your system unless you wish to get new features on the modern products.  


            But you cannot guarantee that lets say Spotify will work on “Legacy” system in 5 years time.

            More to the point looking at your website there is still no indication how long each component will be supported. Sorry guys you started it, you need to put expiry date on each product, this is how it is now.

            How will you be stopping the Sonos app from updates if/when in legacy mode? Will I be able to use Sonos app in legacy mode on newer android phone when I upgrade and android system will also upgrade. These are just a few questions that have not been answered.

              bockersjv
              bockersjv
              Local Superstar
              January 29, 2020

              But you can’t guarantee Spotify will be around in 5 years, or 5 months either.  

              I’m making an assumption that Sonos have learnt a big lesson here and will tread very carefully in retiring products.  I would expect that many may be usable long after 5 years.  If Streaming services work or not will depend on how they change and which come and go.

               

              Of course there will be those that now think Sonos are the big evil and nothing will ever change that mindset, as they too have expressed.

               

              What is clear is that constant misinformation, and I’m not referring to your post szkorupa, does not help any of us, Sonos or its customers.  A healthy profitable company, in touch with it’s user community (old and new) is the best solution to keep our product investment working.

               

                jgatie
                jgatie
                January 29, 2020


                But you cannot guarantee that lets say Spotify will work on “Legacy” system in 5 years time.

                More to the point looking at your website there is still no indication how long each component will be supported. Sorry guys you started it, you need to put expiry date on each product, this is how it is now.

                How will you be stopping the Sonos app from updates if/when in legacy mode? Will I be able to use Sonos app in legacy mode on newer android phone when I upgrade and android system will also upgrade. These are just a few questions that have not been answered.

                 

                Who is this “you guys” that you speak of?  It’s not my website, and I didn’t start anything.  I’m a user like you, I don’t work for Sonos. 

                melvimbe
                melvimbe
                January 29, 2020


                More to the point looking at your website there is still no indication how long each component will be supported. Sorry guys you started it, you need to put expiry date on each product, this is how it is now.

                 

                 

                I’m not aware of any tech company that puts expiration dates on their tech products.  Yes, companies will give no notice that a product will lose support at a certain date, but I’ve never heard of that date being announced when the product is sold.  

                 

                How will you be stopping the Sonos app from updates if/when in legacy mode?

                 

                 

                Sonos answered this already.  The update process will recognize that your system has a legacy product in it and prevent the update.  It is not a 100% clear yet whether the legacy product needs to be active in your system or 

                 

                 

                Will I be able to use Sonos app in legacy mode on newer android phone when I upgrade and android system will also upgrade. These are just a few questions that have not been answered.

                 

                Danny
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