Extremely disappointed today to learn that the £700 current and only soundbar from Sonos will NOT have the AirPlay 2 feature, which we (Apple users) have been so looking forward to.
Also gutted as we have just approved a major kitchen rebuild with integrated ceiling speakers and Connect:AMP and there's no alternative for that too.
Airplay 2 for should be for ALL your top price products please.
At least, a very strong trade in programme should be announced soonest.
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I really don’t get why they didn’t refresh the internals of the Playbar when they launched the Playbase, I would love to understand how difficult or costly that would have been.
For them to update the playbar at the same time as the playbar launch was possible. But Sonos is a small company. They might not have had it in their r&d budget at the time.
It would be a complete redesign. With new processor. There is a new power supply. So new regulators to ensure the everything get the right level of power. And since it is 7 years. You need a updated wifi modem. So all those new components need to be design and then tested. It is not as simple as a PC. Open it up and swap the hhd for a SSD or pop old gen processor for a gen7 processor. Then Sonos have to spend money getting the new playbar certified. It is not a cheap process to do a wholesale redesign of the playbar.
It's also maybe not cheap sourcing such old, out of date tech now. 😉
Looks like the new replacement Playbar could be on its way?
https://fccid.io/SBVRM014
https://fccid.io/SBVRM014
#1 - no one purchased any of these older devices with any expectation of them ever having Airplay Ability (although they do with server software airtunes).
#2 - they still will have airplay ability by grouping them with a newer device that has the processing ability.
All kind of electronic devices get updates that don't appy to older units. Its a fact of life. How about appreciating the fact we are getting a free upgrade to a new (not even released yet) standard. If the cost to some people with only older equipments is $199 for a nice new additional speaker in your house - - so be it!
#2 - they still will have airplay ability by grouping them with a newer device that has the processing ability.
All kind of electronic devices get updates that don't appy to older units. Its a fact of life. How about appreciating the fact we are getting a free upgrade to a new (not even released yet) standard. If the cost to some people with only older equipments is $199 for a nice new additional speaker in your house - - so be it!
And facts are for those like it to be all about themselves. Sonos when they announced airplay support stated it would only be for the Sonos One. How about thinking of the happy playbase and play:5 gen 2 users that Sonos found they were able to support as well. Bonus for those people. So it’s not about the devices that can’t do it ... it’s aboit how Sonos was able to add to devices that never intended to get airplay. Sonos went well beyond what they promised.
Er, no they didn't, their exact message was 'We're also bringing Apple's AirPlay 2 to the Sonos platform, which will allow you to play audio from any Apple iOS device on your Sonos speakers'
It may have been in a blog post about the Sonos One but was under a separate section regarding their developer portal...
Nope they said Sonos One publically from day 1
I read the October message to mean that Sonos and Apple negotiated the licensing agreement so that it could happen. Since Airplay 2 wasn't closed to being finalized at that point, Sonos could not (and did not) specify which devices it would work on. I suppose they could have been more specific at that point, but I don't think that really should be expected. That level of detail typically isn't provided in the early press releases.
As far as disappointment in Airplay 2 not supported on the playbar, I get the disappointment. However, I just don't think it's realistic. Sonos, in my mind anyway, has gone well beyond what most companies do in supporting their old hardware. What I mean to say, if I went and bought a $700 receiver last year for example, I would not at all be surprised if it didn't support an upcoming new standard. Same goes for a new computer, or any other tech I buy. I just don't have an expectation of future proofing. I always figure I get what I pay for, and anything else is gravy.
Sonos has changed that in many ways as they have attempted to future proof products and do add new features to old products, despite the fact that it may not push new sales. So in a sense, they've created an expectation, and as a result they are judged differently then others, because of the expectation. It's not exactly fair, but it's reality.
I also think Sonos does a good job of future proofing the physical design. By that I mean the playbar doesn't look it's been on the market for years. It's not suprising that a consumer would assume it's only been out on the market a short time since it looks rather modern. Other products, they don't give you that same feel.
And perhaps you can blame Sonos for not letting a product stay on the market without a hardware update for so long. Perhaps they should upgrade the hardware, even though there is no new functionality to be added and it wouldn't drive any sales, just so they can support features that may or may come to pass and need that new hardware? I don't think that makes a lot of sense. Other companies do that, like with phones, because they know it will drive additional sales. That wouldn't happen with Sonos.
As far as disappointment in Airplay 2 not supported on the playbar, I get the disappointment. However, I just don't think it's realistic. Sonos, in my mind anyway, has gone well beyond what most companies do in supporting their old hardware. What I mean to say, if I went and bought a $700 receiver last year for example, I would not at all be surprised if it didn't support an upcoming new standard. Same goes for a new computer, or any other tech I buy. I just don't have an expectation of future proofing. I always figure I get what I pay for, and anything else is gravy.
Sonos has changed that in many ways as they have attempted to future proof products and do add new features to old products, despite the fact that it may not push new sales. So in a sense, they've created an expectation, and as a result they are judged differently then others, because of the expectation. It's not exactly fair, but it's reality.
I also think Sonos does a good job of future proofing the physical design. By that I mean the playbar doesn't look it's been on the market for years. It's not suprising that a consumer would assume it's only been out on the market a short time since it looks rather modern. Other products, they don't give you that same feel.
And perhaps you can blame Sonos for not letting a product stay on the market without a hardware update for so long. Perhaps they should upgrade the hardware, even though there is no new functionality to be added and it wouldn't drive any sales, just so they can support features that may or may come to pass and need that new hardware? I don't think that makes a lot of sense. Other companies do that, like with phones, because they know it will drive additional sales. That wouldn't happen with Sonos.
Well for a product with that age I think it some kind of fair enough that playbar and play1 etc doesn't feature airplay 2. How many devices that are in use today will get airplay 2? I bet Sonos is amongst those who supports airplay 2 most on older devices.
Eks - b&w says they'll support airplay 2 but has confirmed none of the existing product will support airplay.
I would have been I Sonos philosophy to support it on all devices BUT its not just about hardware, It will require some muscles which these 1 gen units doesn't have
Eks - b&w says they'll support airplay 2 but has confirmed none of the existing product will support airplay.
I would have been I Sonos philosophy to support it on all devices BUT its not just about hardware, It will require some muscles which these 1 gen units doesn't have
This might be the solution
http://www.aftvnews.com/fcc-filing-suggests-sonos-is-working-on-a-new-tv-sound-bar-with-alexa-voice-control/
http://www.aftvnews.com/fcc-filing-suggests-sonos-is-working-on-a-new-tv-sound-bar-with-alexa-voice-control/
I wouldn’t be surprised to see a playbar v2 by holidays. Hopefully with hdmi.
I would think also all new Sonos speakers will always have Alexa and google
Well, almost all. I don't foresee any new Subs or Boost with Alexa built in. A playbase might not physically have a good spot for mics either, not sure.
Having recently purchased the playbar it is somewhat disappointing, but frankly not surprising given the age of the hardware design that it is not supported. Whilst it would be nice to have support for Airplay 2 natively in the existing hardware, it is nice to know that the overall ecosystem will still benefit via a One or Play 5. Must admit that If I’d realised there were fundamental hardware differences (beyond form factor) between the playbar and playbase with hindsight I’d have purchased the latter. But to be frank i fully expected to be upgrading the playbar once the inevitable HDMI equipped version (or substitute) comes out anyway. I’d factored that into my longer term ‘sonos’ plan. Yes I spent the money and expected to be dissapointed about the future proofness of the current model, but I am nontheless enjoying the benefits whilst I await a new model to be released. A new one can join the HT setup and the old one can move to another room and used as a ‘bumb’ speaker. More sonos in the house can only be a good thing 🙂
Great discussion everyone. Thanks for staying friendly!
Just like with laptops and mobile phones, sophisticated new features sometimes require new hardware. For example, adding voice to Sonos required us to build a microphone into Sonos One. However - because of the way we’ve built Sonos, adding just one Sonos device with voice capability means you can now control your whole system with voice, even those speakers without microphones that we first released many years ago.
AirPlay 2 works in a similar way. The computing platforms and software architecture in some of the older Sonos players like Play:3 and Play:1 simply don’t have the horsepower to support AirPlay 2, and we also have to make sure that introducing new features doesn’t impact the current experience across the system. It all comes down to the hardware and software requirements that the protocol demands of the devices that are going to act as targets or receivers for the Airplay 2 stream. The Playbar doesn't meet those requirements.
However, when you group one of these speakers with other, more recent Sonos devices, you bring AirPlay content to your entire Sonos system. Other's have mentioned this already in the thread, but what this means is you can use an Airplay 2 supported Sonos device to play to with other Sonos players in the home, just like any other audio source that's playing. It won't function quite like the line in though, you'll need to have the Airplay 2 stream going to the one room and group it with any others.
Also, there are some TVs out there which offer Airplay 2 functionality which can act as receivers for the Airplay stream, or you can use the Apple TV device itself hooked to the TV. Then it'll be playing right to your Playbar without the device being capable of receiving the signal directly.
While development was ongoing with Airplay 2 (and for that matter with any software development), we didn't want to give away too many details. When it comes down to it, software development is often a moving target and in the early stages, it's hard to say where things will land exactly. It was never our intent to be misleading with any early messaging around this, and our official message has been pretty consistently vague. We try not to share too much early on for just this reason when we talk about new things. With the Airplay 2 integration, you will be able to target any of the newer Sonos devices, and from there, group and play to all Sonos players out there (including our first ever produced players).
I can't share all the Airplay 2 details today, but I'm happy to try and answer the questions I can.
Just like with laptops and mobile phones, sophisticated new features sometimes require new hardware. For example, adding voice to Sonos required us to build a microphone into Sonos One. However - because of the way we’ve built Sonos, adding just one Sonos device with voice capability means you can now control your whole system with voice, even those speakers without microphones that we first released many years ago.
AirPlay 2 works in a similar way. The computing platforms and software architecture in some of the older Sonos players like Play:3 and Play:1 simply don’t have the horsepower to support AirPlay 2, and we also have to make sure that introducing new features doesn’t impact the current experience across the system. It all comes down to the hardware and software requirements that the protocol demands of the devices that are going to act as targets or receivers for the Airplay 2 stream. The Playbar doesn't meet those requirements.
However, when you group one of these speakers with other, more recent Sonos devices, you bring AirPlay content to your entire Sonos system. Other's have mentioned this already in the thread, but what this means is you can use an Airplay 2 supported Sonos device to play to with other Sonos players in the home, just like any other audio source that's playing. It won't function quite like the line in though, you'll need to have the Airplay 2 stream going to the one room and group it with any others.
Also, there are some TVs out there which offer Airplay 2 functionality which can act as receivers for the Airplay stream, or you can use the Apple TV device itself hooked to the TV. Then it'll be playing right to your Playbar without the device being capable of receiving the signal directly.
While development was ongoing with Airplay 2 (and for that matter with any software development), we didn't want to give away too many details. When it comes down to it, software development is often a moving target and in the early stages, it's hard to say where things will land exactly. It was never our intent to be misleading with any early messaging around this, and our official message has been pretty consistently vague. We try not to share too much early on for just this reason when we talk about new things. With the Airplay 2 integration, you will be able to target any of the newer Sonos devices, and from there, group and play to all Sonos players out there (including our first ever produced players).
I can't share all the Airplay 2 details today, but I'm happy to try and answer the questions I can.
That may be the first official confirmation that it will work much like Playbar and TV. You have to have the device playing in order to group to play to others. It will not serve from the speaker without playing.
That's also in the blog post that was put up last week here:
But I might have said it a little more in depth.
I recently dove into the Sonos system, and have speakers in every room. As a recent purchaser, I am disappointed that hardware I purchased in the last 6 months does not support the latest software. In the case of the Play 1, I understand it being omitted as an upgraded model (One) is available. The Playbar on the other hand, is still being marketed as the "latest" and best offering, at the same price point as the Playbase, which I feel is a tad unfair. I am reserving my full reaction until a new Playbar is announced and/or airplay 2 support is live on the other products and I see if I even miss it.
Is it not clear that which speakers will have Airplay 2 is a technical issue not a marketing issue? And that Sonos are looking to provide a workaround for older speakers. Why are people whingeing about this free upgrade? And the One is not an upgrade of the Play:1. Ridiculous.
I guess you're missing my point: The Playbar costs the same as the Playbase, but has a hidden software deficiency. Continuing to sell the old Playbar model without a price drop is unfair.
Where is the law that says that Sonos' pricing choices have to be "fair"? Who decides what "fair" is?
what is legal and what is fair are two different things. I never said that anything was illegal. I do like to have all necessary information when making a purchasing descision. The fact that the playbar is less “future proof” than the playbase should be reflected in the price.
No, but as someone who hopes that Sonos goes "public" so that I can purchase stock, I'm hoping that they continue to make money. Shoot, even if they don't go public, I want them to make money, so they continue supporting the system that I currently own.
But I was serious in my question. Who decides what "fair" is?
But I was serious in my question. Who decides what "fair" is?
I guess “fair” is a consensus descision by stake holders? But it’s also a personal moral question. It’s a matter of opinion. I didn’t study philosophy, but I am entitled to my opinion as much as you are to yours.
Indeed you most certainly are.
I'm a fan of inexpensive equipment as well. But that being said, I want the company and people who created the device/technology to be fairly compensated, and continue doing what I found to be useful. But that doesn't need to alter your opinion.
But as you say, it's up to me to decide whether what that company is charging is a "fair" value for the device technology. If I feel it's not, I don't spend my money..
There's a similar issue to that floating around these boards, where people are concerned about software features that haven't been released yet, and there are those who tell them that they never purchase a device based on what it might do in the future, but only what it can do at the point at which is was purchased. I'll admit to having been burned by that before, too.
I'm a fan of inexpensive equipment as well. But that being said, I want the company and people who created the device/technology to be fairly compensated, and continue doing what I found to be useful. But that doesn't need to alter your opinion.
But as you say, it's up to me to decide whether what that company is charging is a "fair" value for the device technology. If I feel it's not, I don't spend my money..
There's a similar issue to that floating around these boards, where people are concerned about software features that haven't been released yet, and there are those who tell them that they never purchase a device based on what it might do in the future, but only what it can do at the point at which is was purchased. I'll admit to having been burned by that before, too.
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