Replying to Tom Conrad, the CEO, who started this thread and has rightly talked about improving communications.
Forgetting all the “what you should have done” before May last year, my questions are IMHO rather simple. First my situation - like some others (no idea how many), I have kept my system running just as I liked on the pre disaster 16.1 system. I bought cheap Android tablets to control it by downloading the old S2 Andriod app. I had firmware upgrades turned off so my only issue was my Apple phone (and my wifes), which auto upgraded. So after a week or two of losing my mind without music, following some advice on this form, sanity returned, albeit not as convenient as I have to keep going back to the tablet.
So my questions, for Tom, should he accept the challenge are:
- Why not make the “old” S2 App available for download as an option with all the caveats you like on how it wont work new features, or with upgraded firmware, or those damn headphones (which are not what I or some Sonos users wanted but thats another topic). That way at least a section of your unhappy customers can be kept happy. Its still on the app store if you have an old phone so its not a big deal. You probably also have the stats to know how many are running 16.1 still (do tell!)
- What guarantees can you give that the “old” 16.1 system (and its firmware) will continue to operate all the preexisting features. Music library search, streaming options, music groupings etc. Or are you going to deprecate this system in such a way it becomes unusable, and is that why its not being made available.
- And how can I be sure that if I decided at some point to ‘take the plunge’ and upgrade (maybe when the above deprecation happens) I am not going to instantly join the club of those who have and find their wireless is now not good enough, or the speaker volumes are random and slow, or any one of the other side effects that we see reported. You must have stats on this, I keep an eye on the posts and forums and I cant decided if people have just given up, or there is a real problem, or if its a subset, or what to believe. I see lots of regular contributors saying “mines alright” - are they the majority or the minority? And yes, I have quite a few older speakers (therefore less ram) that still sound great and fear they will be the pinch point.
I finally would like to add that I have now met several friends and colleagues over the last year who have just given up on their systems (some sadly recommended by me in the good old days). Ranged from a large house system owner who spent two days with support before giving up, to a couple with just a single speaker who admitted they just couldnt fathom the new app coz it kept doing weird things and gave it to their kids (yep, you get the generation).
So not really expecting a reply from Tom, but it would be nice to think he is taking the trouble to read at least his own post responses, and hey, maybe he might just fancy stepping up !
Been a customer since about 2006, and very disappointed (trying to keep it unemotional)…..
And I know this is a forum, and full of opinions, but would be really good to keep it to the facts which I suspect only sonos know…..
Happy Listening - those that can!
@DSLA
- I’m not a Sonos employee.
- It appears you have older Sonos equipment by some aspects.
- I’m using both iOS and Android controllers
- While I have nothing older than a Sonos Port I have a total of 31 Sonos units and having no issues with my Sonos.
- I’m not trying to change your mind as it would be an exercise in futility judging from the length of your post
- As a suggestion you might take a look at what is mentioned in the link below:
https://support.sonos.com/en-us/article/legacy-product-update
