Android and Trueplay

People tend to claim that someone who disagrees with them must be subjective, while completely ignoring the objective arguments that have made.  There have been several logical arguments made in this thread.  If can show that the arguments are invalid, I would agree that myself and and others are just being fanboys.  However, just claiming subjectivity without backing it up really does get anywhere.

True.  And I don’t think there would be any disagreement if people only stated that they wanted android trueplay functionality.  But it usually doesn’t stop there, with people assuming the reason it doesn’t exist nefarious.

Sonos stated along time ago that the reason was because of the lack of consistency in microphones on android phones.  It’s not a secret, although perhaps Sonos could state that more frequently.  The problem is that people tend to ignore answers they don’t like.  

You can only draw that conclusion if you don’t know the technical issues or just choose to ignore them.

I’m an android user myself, and I would definitely like to see a trueplay solution for non-Apple users.  I just don’t think it will happen by just putting trueplay software on android phones.

My impression is that auto Trueplay is the lesser cousin of regular trueplay.  So in that regard, Sonos doesn’t want to equip their non-mobile speakers with auto trueplay...as it would be step down?  I could see using the Roam as the mic, as it’s easy to move around like your phone.  The Move seems too big and heavy for that.    I’d like to see Sonos come out with a separate mic device, possibly something that connects to your phone to keep costs down.  If it can work on android and apple devices, than it remove the need to test trueplay with each new Apple device.  

I would guess Sonos is a bit concerned with giving customers the impression that trueplay is essential for Sonos speakers.  They don’t want customers thinking they must have Apple, or buy a Roam or some other mic device  as a startup fee.  I think they also have marketing data that gives them an idea of how well Roams or other mic device would sell if they went that route.  I really hope they are already working on a mic device, but no clue whether that’s happening or not.

I don’t think that this would be well received, but there would be ptential new groups of complaints:

• I don’t want to fumble with yet another device -- i already have a midrophone in my current device.
• Why am I forced to buy something else, just to be able to use my system?
• Android users - It’s already brult into Apple devides
• This is complicated

It does make me wonder if they never should have released TruePlay at all. Many people seem to think it is a silver bullet, and decry the lack of it.
 

Or at least kept it in reserve until there is a suitable alternative for all users. 

I agree. It may be fine for some android users like myself, but won’t satisfy some or appear as another burden to others.  I don’t really think using a Move or Roam would be much different though, as the same arguements would apply.  Sure, you can use the portable speakers has value for other reasons obviously, but it’s going to cost you more, and some have no need for it otherwise.

In my imagination, Sonos doesn’t need to make and sell the microphone themselves, they can just get contracts with existing usb/lightning cable based mics that be purchased for cheap.  Just need a guarantee that the mic specifics won’t change?  Sonos could also drop support for trueplay in iphones/ipads natively lowering support costs.  Perhaps allowing them to sell the mics cheaper.  That wouldn’t stop all complaints though, and would probably create new ones.

Even if Sonos included a free mic with every purchase, people would complain about the eWaste. If Sonos made it free if you buy direct, their retail partners would complain.

As an aside, pro installers would love this as they would only need to buy one and would give customers a reason to go through them.

Since a lot of home receivers come with them, it probably was a checkbox they felt they needed to fill in.  Of course other vendor tuning and trueplay are not the same, and that perhaps was thought of as a positive and something that differentiated Sonos.  I do wonder if they regret the decision though.

But yes, I imagine Sonos would love to fine a good alternative.

My bet is that is has nothing to do with technology, Apple are not using magical mystery microphones and software from a special wormhole that no-one else can access. Anyone would think from this 5 year old excuse that only Apple cares everything about audio and no other phone manufacturer could care less about what mic is thrown in.

The mic packages (for Apple and Pixel/Galaxy) are made in China to strict specifications. DXOMark has scored Android audio performance higher than Apple for a quite a while (in particular the Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro).

More likely reason is the court case between them for the past couple of years regarding patent infringement. Send the engineers into an anechoic chamber with a Pixel, Galaxy and Xiaomi and they would be profiled/audio modelled very quickly.

Check your facts. Trueplay was introduced back in November 2015. The legal action started several years later.

It’s already been stated, multiple times, that even within one premium line of Android phone there were found to be umpteen variations of mic supply and hence audio characteristics. If Sonos could support Trueplay reliably on Android I’m sure they’d have done so years ago. And I for one would have welcomed it. 

As it is, I just keep an old iPod Touch (6th gen) aside for Trueplay tuning.

Agree on the old iPhone, I have one myself.

I call BS on the “variability/variation argument”, especially with modern mems microphone packages. All manufacturers would have variations across batches (including Apple).

Wherever the “umpteen variations of mic supply” statement comes from, doesn’t mean it still holds true today and is true for all Android manufacturers. I would be very surprised if the Google Pixel 6 flagship had any more mic variability than an iPhone (my opinion). So if your “fact” is from 2015, might be time for them to re-check 7 years later.

Whatever the real reason (technical/marketing/legal), I don’t think we will see TruePlay on Android any time soon.

An assertion that could be just as accurate as the earlier theory that the issue was related to legal cases.

Just ask yourself this: why would Sonos not implement Trueplay on Android if it was as straightforward as with (approved) iDevices? 

Well that’s an easy one, bad blood between them, potential $50M USD in yearly royalties, moving engineering teams to support Alexa instead instead of Google, not wanting to set a legal precedent of supporting Google products during a case (and appeals).

You have made an assumption that the exact same reason has held true since 2015 as to why they haven’t released it.

Could have been (and quite possible) microphone variability in 2013/14 Android devices, but unlikely to be the exact same reason 7-8 years later with the technical progress of handsets and wafer fab manufacturing. (however the excuse still holds and sounds reasonable, so they keep quoting it).

The answer won’t be straight forward, but I don’t think it has anything to do with the reasons when they first announced it won’t support Android.

And you appear to have made a series of completely unfounded assumptions as well. 

Your profile is empty of Sonos products. You joined today, apparently to pick a fight. There’s a word for such antics. I refuse to feed this any further.