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When does Sonos expect to have support for Google Assistant?
Hey, Awesome flow chart. This makes is clear now. I was under the impression that Sonos would have two different images to support both variants. Didn't think both AMZN and GOOGL would be keen on a co-existing environment.


There will most definitely be a firmware update for older devices, at the very least to give the ability to list Google Assistant as one of the available Voice Assistants, plus the capability to link between Sonos and whatever app interface Google uses for Assistant. But as you said, that is not a significant change to the firmware.



But that's for the Sonos One only right? I could be misremembering, but the setup for Alexa integration had no configuration on the Sonos side, it was only on the Alexa side. I would guess that Google will work the same. So if you're not using a Sonos One where you would need to tell it where to send voice commands, nothing is needed.



As an aside, assuming this is correct, a Sonos system should be able to work with Alexa and Google at the same time. it may even been that the Sonos One works with Alexa and Google at the same time, and will rely on the wake word to know where to send the voice commands.


But that's for the Sonos One only right? I could be misremembering, but the setup for Alexa integration had no configuration on the Sonos side, it was only on the Alexa side. I would guess that Google will work the same. So if you're not using a Sonos One where you would need to tell it where to send voice commands, nothing is needed.



As an aside, assuming this is correct, a Sonos system should be able to work with Alexa and Google at the same time. it may even been that the Sonos One works with Alexa and Google at the same time, and will rely on the wake word to know where to send the voice commands.



There is a configuration on the Sonos One, where you have to select the Voice Assistant in the Sonos app under the Settings. Also, I thought the Sonos app launched the Alexa app (or was it vice versa?) to link the two, even for non-Ones, in order to register accounts, etc.? Anywho, that is only on the app, not the firmware. But a release is a release, right? 😉
Hey, Awesome flow chart. This makes is clear now. I was under the impression that Sonos would have two different images to support both variants. Didn't think both AMZN and GOOGL would be keen on a co-existing environment.





I imagine Sonos insisted upon it. They are the ones footing the bill for the Sonos cloud to translate other commands into generics. Sonos has always taken care to remain agnostic when it comes to partnering up; even if it takes more work in the beginning, it pays off in the long run. Otherwise, they would have just done a "Alexa, tell Sonos to . . . " skill and been done with it.




There is a configuration on the Sonos One, where you have to select the Voice Assistant in the Sonos app under the Settings. Also, I thought the Sonos app launched the Alexa app (or was it vice versa?) to link the two, even for non-Ones? Anywho, that is only on the app, not the firmware. But a release is a release, right? ;)



Kind of a shame that you can't setup Google and Alexa at the same time. it would have been fund to see if you could get google to talk to Alexa and vice versa. maybe setup some sort of infinite loop.




Kind of a shame that you can't setup Google and Alexa at the same time. it would have been fund to see if you could get google to talk to Alexa and vice versa. maybe setup some sort of infinite loop.



What's kind of a shame is that you can't setup Google at all.
If "more = the better. " me too.
I have a Sonos One that I rarely use. I would definitely use it more if it had Google Assistant. I would move the Google Home to another room and use the Sonos One exclusively in the kitchen/dining area.



How long could it possibly take to add Google Assistant support?
Are you volunteering to help make it happen faster?



I would expect this summer as always have.
If there were something I could do to make it happen then I would be willing. The Sonos One seems like a good speaker, but I currently don't use it.
Sonos app with it is much more powerful than voice control. There is a 3rd party method to control it via google. Yonomi https://www.androidpolice.com/2018/01/14/can-now-control-sonos-speakers-google-home-yonomi/
We have a Google Home in our kitchen and use it for various things including listening to music. I have the Sonos app and other apps like Google Play Music. I prefer to use Google Assistant in that environment.



I know there is a 3rd party method of controlling the Sonos. I'm not interested. We'll continue to use the Google Home until Google Assistant support is available on the Sonos. And we'll continue to not use the Sonos until that happens.



Sonos has said they will add Google Assistant support. My only point is - better sooner than later.
Sonos stated Google Assistant support is coming in 2018. Last I checked, my calendar still says 2018. Though perhaps you can find another 3rd party speaker that has support for 5.1 surround, stereo pairing, separate subwoofer, and also has Google support.
Fully aware that Sonos said coming in 2018 AND that it still is 2018, thanks tho.



As I said, better sooner than later. I'll stand by that.
Sonos app with it is much more powerful than voice control. There is a 3rd party method to control it via google. Yonomi https://www.androidpolice.com/2018/01/14/can-now-control-sonos-speakers-google-home-yonomi/Sonos app with it is much more powerful than voice control. There is a 3rd party method to control it via google. Yonomi https://www.androidpolice.com/2018/01/14/can-now-control-sonos-speakers-google-home-yonomi/



I was excited when I originally saw that. But then I tried it. Complicated and cumbersome for control over only simple commands. You have to set up a Routine in Yonomi for ever single thing you want to do. So if you want to use your voice to start a specific song or an artist - each one has to have its own Routine. If I want to play it in the kitchen, or the living room, or both - that's three versions of every routine. Not practical.



I ended up setting up my Google Homes with Chromecast Audios into my Sonos Connects. Easy to do and it allows me to do almost anything I want to do with my voice. The main limitations I have now are increasing volume above the default (initial) volume and moving music from room to room. It's easy to to start the music in the combination of rooms you want, but once it's playing you have to use the App or start over to add/change rooms.
The Sonos website said Google Assistant is coming Q1 2018 which has passed. You may want to try contacting Amazon if you bought it there, as I did last week about 2 Sonos Play One's I bought, saying I bought it because they said this was coming and it still isn't here so it's bait and switch. They actually let me return both of them for a full refund. So over Sonos.
The Sonos website has never stated Q1 2018 and the official press release states "coming in 2018". If you have proof of your assertion, please supply a link.
With the news of the BEAM SOUNDBAR there's more chatter about Google Assistant integration.



Any news on Google Assistant integration with the Play One's now Sonos?? Come on, we've been pretty patient...
With the news of the BEAM SOUNDBAR there's more chatter about Google Assistant integration.



Any news on Google Assistant integration with the Play One's now Sonos?? Come on, we've been pretty patient...



The news is still "sometime in 2018".
I don’t get the negativity about this. Voice assistant support, while cool, is still pretty meh. Alexa/Google voice assistants, tried them both. As often as I find them useful I find them to be a waste of time. I bought Sonos for the app, sound quality, and above all else, multi-room audio. Now I understand there are people out there that feel empowered by voice control and this is their killer feature. It’s frustrating to wait being one of those people I’m sure. When the moment arrives that another company has approximated what Sonos has, feel free to point out they blew it. I doubt they want that to come to pass. So if it’s taking them a while, it’s because there’s something that’s not fully baked yet. I wish they would be a little more transparent with the enthusiastic fans of their products, but alas we are left to speculate and wait.
I don’t get the negativity about this. Voice assistant support, while cool, is still pretty meh. Alexa/Google voice assistants, tried them both. As often as I find them useful I find them to be a waste of time. I bought Sonos for the app, sound quality, and above all else, multi-room audio. Now I understand there are people out there that feel empowered by voice control and this is their killer feature. It’s frustrating to wait being one of those people I’m sure. When the moment arrives that another company has approximated what Sonos has, feel free to point out they blew it. I doubt they want that to come to pass. So if it’s taking them a while, it’s because there’s something that’s not fully baked yet. I wish they would be a little more transparent with the enthusiastic fans of their products, but alas we are left to speculate and wait.



I agree with some of this sentiment but will say that I bought the ONE sight-unseen last year in 2017 based largely on the very forthright and exuberant claims that Google was "coming soon". I figured I try out Alexa in the meantime but didn't imagine the extent of "coming soon". It's been well over a half a year. I check in here peridocally and it's no skin off my teeth, but.... I too have always been nonplussed by voice assistance in general, even today. But that being said, I have always found Google assistant far, FAR (for whatever reason) less frustrating than Alexa. All I use the ONE for is turning lights off and on and she often can't do that without asking three times. She's also a kitchen timer and that's the extent of what I've found useful. Everything else is mostly novelty and, in terms of using Sonos I use the controller probably 90% of the time, likely more. Alexa is just too frustrating. So really, all I'm waiting for is the assistant on the ONE to be one that I find less irritating... unless the support is drastically better I still probably won't use it.
I don’t get the negativity about this. Voice assistant support, while cool, is still pretty meh. Alexa/Google voice assistants, tried them both. As often as I find them useful I find them to be a waste of time. I bought Sonos for the app, sound quality, and above all else, multi-room audio. Now I understand there are people out there that feel empowered by voice control and this is their killer feature. It’s frustrating to wait being one of those people I’m sure. When the moment arrives that another company has approximated what Sonos has, feel free to point out they blew it. I doubt they want that to come to pass. So if it’s taking them a while, it’s because there’s something that’s not fully baked yet. I wish they would be a little more transparent with the enthusiastic fans of their products, but alas we are left to speculate and wait.



I agree with some of this sentiment but will say that I bought the ONE sight-unseen last year in 2017 based largely on the very forthright and exuberant claims that Google was "coming soon". I figured I try out Alexa in the meantime but didn't imagine the extent of "coming soon". It's been well over a half a year. I check in here peridocally and it's no skin off my teeth, but.... I too have always been nonplussed by voice assistance in general, even today. But that being said, I have always found Google assistant far, FAR (for whatever reason) less frustrating than Alexa. All I use the ONE for is turning lights off and on and she often can't do that without asking three times. She's also a kitchen timer and that's the extent of what I've found useful. Everything else is mostly novelty and, in terms of using Sonos I use the controller probably 90% of the time, likely more. Alexa is just too frustrating. So really, all I'm waiting for is the assistant on the ONE to be one that I find less irritating... unless the support is drastically better I still probably won't use it.



I am with you on this one. My mum has used Alexa with little success, and I have never had a problem with Google assistant on my phone, however...



I can now boost my central heating (hive) while eating my dinner and my 5yo daughter loves playing "fireworks by Katy Perry on spotify". So when Google turn up I am pretty sure we will use it.
The press release didn't say anything about older Sonos devices(unless I misread), only the Sonos One. Hopefully we get it for older devices in 2018.



http://press-us.sonos.com/159680-sonos-unveils-smart-speaker-with-support-for-multiple-voice-services
Since Google Assistant processing is all in the cloud, I suspect it will operate just like Alexa and be available on all legacy Sonos devices. The problem with Airplay 2 is the processing power of the older units, which is not a problem when all the processing is cloud based.
I guess it's wishful thinking, but has Sonos clarified if we'll be able to use Sonos One as a "dual" assistant (i.e: being able to speak to either voice service using alternatively the wake word Alexa or OK Google), or if we will have to "lock" the speaker onto one of the two services by going into the settings?

I'm afraid it will be the latter, but I would find a tremendous use case for being able to direct each request to either service, depending on the wake word that will be used given Google is better for general knowledge queries (opening hours, telephone numbers, wikipedia, etc), and amazon for its wider skills library.. Sonos would definitely have a competitive advantage in offering this, and would really make their point towards the vendor-agnostic voice service.



Technically, I would believe this would be possible as it's the sonos cloud which will pass on the query, and the local speaker would just have to listen in to both words instead of focusing on one?



Any thoughts?
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