Your feedback on the new Sonos App

Hi Everyone

We moderators of the community - @Corry P, @Jamie A & @Sotiris C. - wanted to take an opportunity to explain some of what is currently happening on the community.

First of all, we value all the feedback you are providing about the new Sonos App. We hear you. Feedback is coming in fast and thick, however - for understandable reasons - and to be frank, we are having trouble just keeping up with it all. For this reason, some topics that have not yet been replied to will go unanswered. We will, however, do our best to amalgamate some of these separate threads into bigger, related threads (such as one big thread for Alarm complaints and another for Queue Management) to be answered en-mass. The threads that are feedback on other aspects of the new app will be merged with this post.

Threads that describe issues such as missing rooms and app crashes (those that are not just feedback, in other words) will be answered, as will threads not relating to the new app in anyway, but these will take a bit longer than normal.

Please be aware that we are reading every post, we are recording and collating all feedback, and all of it will be passed over to the app software development team. In addition, we are doing our best to identify previously unidentified issues and report them to our technical teams.

We know many of you are concerned about certain features going missing, so let us take this opportunity to say that the following features are coming back:

Alarms management
Sleep timers
Queue management
Playlist editing

In addition and contrary to some speculation, local Music Library is not going anywhere, though SMBv1 support has been permanently removed. Local Music Library searching is something that is still being worked on.

We’d also like to thank everyone who has taken it upon themselves to help others here with their questions and concerns - we appreciate you all!

Thanks for listening - take care of yourselves, and each other.

Combined threads:

General feedback (not relating specifically to those below):

Queue management:

Alarms:

Playlists:

Music Library:

Sleep Timers:

Please note that there is an official statement that can be read here.

Page 156 / 157

Interestingly I’ve had a promotional email today from Sonos advising that Apple Lossless is now available in the app. Well surprise surprise, the Lossless indicator in the app takes between 90 seconds to 2 minutes to show up after starting to play a song. Why can’t Sonos even get that working properly.

I’m assuming that Apple Lossless has the AIFF tag associated with the music file? If so, unlike pre-2024, I was unable to play AIFF files without them skipping/stuttering. It happened after one of the app updates. I downloaded a free, or inexpensive, audio converter and changed any and all AIFF files to FLAC. Luckily, I didn’t have that many AIFF files. But, like others have indicated, things that once worked, suddenly and/or eventually, did not.

Speaking of updates, I haven’t seen any release notes on the iOS app update that hit the App Store day-before-yesterday and, as per instructions, requires an S2 update. Has anyone installed these two items on their mobile devices and computers? I’m gonna wait this one out until I read some feedback.

Two things, and I hope I’ve not gone off at a tangent to your issues:

(A) AIFF files are supported, according to SONOS documentation t link: Supported audio formats for Sonos music library | Sonos ], but at a “maximum bit depth” (don’t as me!) of 16 bits, whereas FLAC files are supported at a depth of 24-bits.. so, maybe, just maybe you were “getting away” with playing your AIFF files which could have been at a bit depth of any of 16-, 24- or 32-bits.

However, the new app/firmware upgrades -might- be more restrictive. But before you complain, this is just an idea that came to mind, as I recently had a single album of FLAC format tracks which could not play on SONOS but DID play without problem on Windows Media Player AND on the Audacity music editor app. So I converted all the tracks using Audacity and, magically, they now all play through SONOS.

And, of course, SONOS should have published removal of any "undocumented" features that they removed in the major upgrade(s) since May 2024! (Again, this is just a possibility).

Your audio converter app may should show you the bit-rate on the (old) AIFF files and the converted FLAC ones.

(B)I just updated two mobile devices (iOS and Android) to App version 80.16.32 (the most recent release to 31 Jan 2025 for me) and the App is working well on BOTH devices.

I think there is still some missing functionality in the mobile apps, but I'm not using anything more sophisticated than playing my Music Library and a few streaming sources.

Hope this helps.

I’m sorry it’s not reasonable to suggest that we should be performing complicated reworkings of systems and Router settings to make our system work when it was working fine before. If the new App requires a different wireless or wired setup then the Sonos system itself should do this automatically - it should not be down to the user to become an IT expert.
However - I do agree that any unexpected pauses in auduo once it is playing are likely not app related. This is usually going to be because there is an interruption to whichever service you are getting the music from.

^^^THIS^^

For millions of users who had a working system early May then a ruined experience mid-May 2024 who may not have the extensive network knowledge so many of the fan base here posses, they are completely right to complain, give negative app reviews, TrustPilot comments, and more!

Sonos leadership should have been forthright and detailed about the NEW home/business network REQUIREMENTS the very day they foisted this lesser-app on millions of users. NO instead they lied about features and benefits, hid behind the generally well rated S2 -WHY? because they full well knew that calling this pile S3 would have produced 1 star ratings across the board - alerting users/buyers NOT to be tricked into downloading an over-hyped pre-alpha level app so they could boost the Ace revenue and get their FAT quarterly bonuses.

They did NOT level with users and used us as Guinea Pigs to help sort out this horrible excuse for an app that pushes most of the functions (and our use information) out to their servers!

YES this new junk app requires most of us to dig deep into our networks, placements, ++++ Putting extreme and onerous effort on the user/customer NOT Sonos (who decided a few years back to junk their once great support departments).

2 households: 1st running orange S2 - all well, stable, solid, mostly happy. 2nd accidentally downloaded S2 junk version and have had nothing but troubles/issues, which the support team finally says are App Related. 1st can’t buy new Sonos gear b/c it would require down-dating to the awful app. 2nd won’t ever spend a penny again with Sonos b/c of their depiction and greed.

All of this extremely well said, could not agree more!

I’ve downgraded to S1 on my play 1s / Sonos one and now use the s1 app. Removes the dependency on the cloud, simple to use, immediate response. The new app isn’t a new app, it’s a completely new and ineffective way of connecting the controller to the speakers via goodness knows where. Features were lost and have been replaced - but basically it’s still hard to use and way too slow and glitchy for so many people. There’s no going back it seems for more recent hardware - I don’t know why but unless they fix the latency caused by the cloud being in the loop, can it ever get back to the simple ask of getting a response when you touch a control?

So have the fixed the firmware rollback on all devices in the new app for those that want to go back to using the stable S1 app?

New release firmware (83.1.6140) once again lost a Play:1 stereo pair. Update was done but seemed to deregister the speakers whilst remembering the room 🤔

Needed to delete the stereo pair, re-register both Play:1's (which were 'half' remembered assigning to 'original room' and 'original room 2' and then re-create the pair back to 'original room'.

They were then OK but still with very laggy volume - something that remains fine on all non Play:1 speakers...

Strewth 🙄

New release firmware (83.1.6140) once again lost a Play:1 stereo pair. Update was done but seemed to deregister the speakers whilst remembering the room

Needed to delete the stereo pair, re-register both Play:1's (which were 'half' remembered assigning to 'original room' and 'original room 2' and then re-create the pair back to 'original room'.

They were then OK but still with very laggy volume - something that remains fine on all non Play:1 speakers...

Strewth

I did this update to my two Play 1 speakers which are also setup as a stereo pair, but I had no issues with the update or at least not so far (touchwood!). Strange why the updates always seem to affect some more than others.

By the way the “release notes” for this update, all two words of them, say ‘security improvements’ - what security is there on the speakers? I am not aware of any or even what security you might want to have?

New release firmware (83.1.6140) once again lost a Play:1 stereo pair. Update was done but seemed to deregister the speakers whilst remembering the room

Needed to delete the stereo pair, re-register both Play:1's (which were 'half' remembered assigning to 'original room' and 'original room 2' and then re-create the pair back to 'original room'.

They were then OK but still with very laggy volume - something that remains fine on all non Play:1 speakers...

Strewth

Any WiFi product is vulnerable to hacks. All that companies do is push out the appropriate patch/update to mitigate the possibility. They never divulge the code or door that made the vulnerability possible.

If you keep seeing update and/or power failure issues with your Sonos a lot of folks have stopped them by using the router’s DHCP page to assign static/reserved IP addresses to ALL Sonos.

Power all down once done, reboot router and controller, power the Sonos back up and all will be on the assigned and stable IP addresses until you replace the router.

The worst app update done. I can’t make my Sonos speakers works like I used to.

I had to buy an app on Apple store, SonosPad. That app works and I can use my Sonos speakers now.

Sonos should hire guys that can fix the app. It is a shame.

The worst app update done. I can’t make my Sonos speakers works like I used to.

I had to buy an app on Apple store, SonosPad. That app works and I can use my Sonos speakers now.

Sonos should hire guys that can fix the app. It is a shame.

New Sonos App update is working fine here. Have you spoken to Sonos customer support? If not, here is the link to contact them to see if they can perhaps assist to resolve whatever issues you are seeing…

https://support.sonos.com/s/contact

If you keep seeing update and/or power failure issues with your Sonos a lot of folks have stopped them by using the router’s DHCP page to assign static/reserved IP addresses to ALL Sonos.

Power all down once done, reboot router and controller, power the Sonos back up and all will be on the assigned and stable IP addresses until you replace the router.

Yep, all my Sonos kit has fixed IP's and all 14, including two single Play:1's, have always updated fine except the stereo pair. These have given issues with several of the updates since last May when this all started. Especially amd consistently with the most recent 3 updates.

They are also well within WiFi range and have very strong signal/connection (#notmynetwork ). I tend to think it is because they are older speakers and possibly because they are in a pair too. The Play:1's that are singles or in a surround group have never given issue.

Alao noticed with this firmware that this pair, and only this pair, have begun to randomly just stop playing - just happened as I am typing this. Which, for me, is new...

Unusual, at least in my experience with the several PLAY:1s in my setup, all of which seem to update just fine. Have you done a power cycle of these devices recently?

If so, the next step I would recommend that you submit a system diagnostic within 10 minutes of processing an update in which they fail,, and call Sonos Support to discuss it. But don’t post the resulting diagnostic number here, they get sensitive about GDPR.

There may be information included in the diagnostic that will help Sonos pinpoint the issue and help you find a solution.

When you speak directly to the Support staff, they have tools at their disposal that will allow them to give you advice specific to your network and Sonos system.

So have the fixed the firmware rollback on all devices in the new app for those that want to go back to using the stable S1 app?

Newer devices don’t work with the new app but many of the older ones do. There’s a clear downgrade process in Sonos help.

As a software engineer I continue to be dismayed at the lack of quality in this app. Honestly guys, is anyone testing this garbage before you unleash it on your users. Now the most basic capability of searching doesn't work. You start typing in the box and it just disappears. Seriously, pay more attention to the software than the ads for more hardware. I’ve been a Sonos customer for years and I remember when it was the premier sound system hands down. Now, every day I question whether it’s worth investing in more hardware. For the last year or more the app is absolute garbage. Whoever runs the app development should be fired and you need to find a serious development manager. It feels like the app has been forgotten and is run by children. Guess what, all the fancy hardware is worthless without an app to actually make it work.

PBiz:

I don't find your experience matches mine. I have 3 different controllers: Windows, Android and iOS.

I searched for one of my music artists and the results were returned for several sources: multiple streaming services and my own (local) music library.

So I don't experience any "disappearing" search input.

The Android & iOS apps both return correct artist results and in the same order for my music library.

What I do see is a difference between the Android and iOS results of the search for streaming services.

For example, within the Spotify streaming service, there's a difference in the ordering of items found AND the actual sets of results differs, between the Android and iOS result sets.

Also, the ordering of the music sources differs: Android is alphabetic, i.e. Amazon, BBC Sounds, Spotify BUT Android misses out my Rayo streaming service completely.

iOS is comprehensive in that it finds Rayo BUT the order of services is not alphabetic.

However, this MIGHT all be due to the way Spotify returns its results and differences in the way the apps behave under each operating system.

The software versions I'm using were all updated earlier this week to the latest releases (for all 3 systems) sometime in the last week or so.

You haven’t said which operating system(s) your are experiencing faults with, so I hope this helps you decide what course of action to take.

And once again an update has been issued and my music library has disappeared. And, once again i can't reconnect to it. When will this ever end? Is there a page somewhere in this community which deals with just this problem - the failure to add and keep the music folder running?