Your feedback on the new Sonos App

Yes, I’m signed in to my Sonos account.

I disconnected and re-signed back in. I shut down and restarted the app (iOS) and, for one brief moment, My Library showed up!  I clicked on it and indeed there it was. HOWEVER, when I returned to the home page it disappeared again!  In a word, it’s behaving poorly. 
 

I appreciate your suggestion and I get why it’s important to be signed in. Unfortunately, for my part, it’s not the whole story. More needs to be done. 

The only sharing problems I’m having are with the Sonos new iOS app.  I am not running SMBv1 at all.

I’ve tried disconnecting and reconnecting the app to the existing system endlessly.  The result is the same:  Access to My Library is only occasional and usually none.

There is nothing that Sonos is going to put into a release that is going to fix “it”?  I hope you’re wrong.

The existing Windows and OS X apps have ZERO trouble managing and accessing my music shares.  The iOS app FileBrowser has ZERO trouble accessing and playing the music files within these shares, even the hi-res files.  IMHO it’s not a problem with my network (both wired and wireless) or the manner with which the files are being shared.  The problem is with Sonos.  I’m confident I’m right.

The problem, as I see it, is a Sonos problem, not a sharing problem. 

Oof, that is awfully frustrating @Allen J Goldberg. I am on the lucky side of Schrödinger's Local Library: “Music Library” takes 2-3 seconds to appear under “Your Sources” and occasionally disappears for a heartbeat or two before reappearing. There’s clearly something odd and counter-intuitive happening under the hood … hard to say if it is interaction between mobile app and device firmware or between the mobile app and its assortment of cloud-based companions.

FYI:  The version of the iOS Sonos app I’m running is 80.04.04, July 1, which is reported to be the latest.

Failure to access My Library reliably is, IMHO, a fatal flaw.

Depressing.

I’m gonna toss something out there that may make you angry @Allen J Goldberg, buy hey, no risk no reward? I use a Kindle Fire 8 HD as a dedicated Sonos controller and It Just Works™ thanks to sideloading the v16.1 Android app. Next week that tablet will likely be a Prime Day deal for $50-60.

Don’t shoot the messenger. 😅

Just wanted to join the chorus of those displeased with the app.  I could live with the interface (even though I do not find it to be any more intuitive or provide additional functionality to the original).  What I am finding it increasingly hard to live with is the general laggyness of the system.  Delayed volume changes.  Not updating the song that is currently playing.  Needing to press play or pause multiple times.  ALL BASIC FUNCTIONS.  Please provide a rollback option.  This app sucks and my patience is running out.   

On the off-chance someone at Sonos is actually reviewing and paying heed to comments here, I have just one ‘ask’:

Please, please, please bring Sonos playlists back. I mean the ones I saved over a number of years. Allow me to play them as is; to edit and re-save them; and allow me to create a new Sonos playlist by creating a queue of tracks and/or albums and saving the queue. 

All of this was available until the moment the ‘update’ hit my iOS devices. It’s all gone now; and given the way I use my Sonos controller and speakers, I cannot consider the updated app a success unless and until these functions and my previously saved content are restored.

Does Sonos have anything to tell us about this? I have seen nothing in any Sonos technical or press release that addresses this request — which I’m betting is one shared by countless thousands of other Sonos users.

Are your playlists not there on the desktop Windows or Mac app?

Equalizer removed from the volume bar! I used to be able to tune each song with my equalizer by pressing the volume bar…. Now I have to go into settings every time… not happy! Please bring this back 

I joined this message board in hopes of troubleshooting app glitches but apparently everyone has the same problem and there is no solution?! I have TEN sonos products and suddenly can’t use them after an app update??? The new app constantly lags, drops speakers, freezes, doesn’t register controls, the list goes on. I cannot listen to any type of music - even my turntable is part of the system! Sonos is scamming customers by selling products that they can’t use. I have never experienced such a tech and business disaster from what is supposed to be a highly reputable company. I am shocked that this app has been out for months and is still not resolved. I should have never updated. Sonos- you need to fix this ASAP or you are going to lose all your customers and the company will go under. 

Your new app is terrible. I’m a Sonos fan for 10y+. Bough at least 30 Sonos to family and friends!! Now my parents cannot use it because the app is too confusing, volume lag all the time, and he cannot use his librairy properly. It’s really difficult to understand how you tough this was well designed.  Please change your app. And fire the team in charge.

Amen !

Yeah this is an ongoing problem. Probably gets fixed eventually. If you don’t want to wait there is an app called Phonos Plus on iOS ($0.99) that will extract your missing playlists to xml files. You can import them to music service or use them with your local library. The app is written by a community member (controlav)
 

Newbie Sonos question.

Does the alarm management include setting timers? I just got the Roam 2 as my first Sonos device so I don't know what features existed before. But whenever I try to set a timer via "Hey Sonos" it just says to check the app.

I don't have Alexa nor Google assistant installed if that's a factor, but I would hope it isn't.

Also I have the Sonos app installed on my Android phone and my wife's iPhone, don't know if I should have done that or not.

Bumper wrote: Yeah this is an ongoing problem. Probably gets fixed eventually. If you don’t want to wait there is an app called Phonos Plus on iOS ($0.99) that will extract your missing playlists to xml files. You can import them to music service or use them with your local library. The app is written by a community member (controlav)

Alas, you lost me at ‘xml files.’ I’m the poster child for ‘it's gotta be plug and play.’ Like turning on a radio, or putting an LP on a turntable and lowering the tonearm on the vinyl, or dropping a shiny disc in a CD player and tapping the ‘play’ button. 

Or opening the Sonos app and gently tapping the icon for my Bill Evans playlist.

Beyond that, my eyes glaze over.

Try plex or sonophone app Ios, this has sorted alot of people out …...

There are Sleep Timers that will shut off the music at a set time:

https://support.sonos.com/en-us/article/set-a-sleep-timer-on-sonos

And Alarms, which will turn on music at a set time:

https://support.sonos.com/en-us/article/set-a-sleep-timer-on-sonos

Neither are available from Sonos voice. 

Oh, then I guess there isn't a way to set a standard timer for 5 minutes without installing Alexa or Google Assistant. Which seems like a no-brainer thing that could added so I wouldn't have to give up my data to Amazon/Google. :/

Thanks for the reply and articles!

They already have your data, so I wouldn’t worry too much about them knowing you’ve set a five minute alarm.

Not sure if this has been posted, or if it has its been redacted, but anyone on LInkedin should search for “what happened sonos app” which should show up an incredibly informative article about the changes ‘under the hood’.   It explains why systems that were working perfectly now are not, and why some people are better off than others.   Leads to many more questions about the real motives behind this, along with why no-one at Sonos is prepared to explain these changes.   Its a technical discussion, so the detail will only be meaningful to some in this community, but may allow them to help some others who are having problems that support are unable to solve.    And incidentally has convinced me that my cheap android purchase as a dedicated controller is the right move as I think I will be using that for a long while now (until they find a way to brick that). 

I havent posted the link through sheer paranoia - but you should find it easy enough unless this post gets removed.   it was on reddit also.     

It is a fantastic article, @DSLA, and appeared on these forums earlier this week …

It has now been over a month since Sonos released the “new” app and so far, there is no evidence that any of the lost functionality will be restored in the near future.  My Sonos system, which was so easy to set up, access, and use has been mostly destroyed.  Worse, there appears to be little hope for a quick, or any, resolution.

I refuse to puchase another Sonos device or recommend any Sonos product to acquaintances until Sonos learns how to properly beta test and release a new version of software.

Once lost, customer confidence does not return quickly or easily.  

Ah thank you for that - I am trying to limit my forum time and instead listen to music while busy upgrading my Vinyl and music server playback systems using some old receivers and speakers.  Not that I think my entire Sonos system is going to turn into a brick, but then again its good to have options. 😂  

sorry to be pedantic but it is over TWO months.    Nearly time for the next earnings call…..