Volume control using IOS app on iphone and ipad

To adjust the volume on the Move when using the Sonos app, use the volume control slider from within the Sonos app.

With the 15.6 update released in July of this year, Sonos removed the ability to control the volume using the iOS device hardware buttons when streaming from the Sonos app. This is the reason that was given by Sonos:

“The way these features were architected do not meet Apple’s experience guidelines for developers and no longer offer a reliable control experience.”

You mean within the app, not using the hardware buttons on the iPad?
 

The side hardware buttons will not work on any iOS device when using the Sonos App, since Apple’s rules say that it they can be used by applications that are playing on iOS. Since the Sonos works by ‘playing’ from the Sonos speaker, and only using the app on iOS as a remote control, those side buttons don’t work, only the in app volume controls.

Of course, however, when you’re sending a Bluetooth signal to your Sonos, you’re then ‘playing’ the sound on your iPhone first, and then throwing the sound to Sonos, so the side buttons work. But they’re controlling the volume of the signal being sent, and not technically the Sonos volume per se. 

How crazy that you can’t adjust the volume using the side button hardware on the iphone whilst using the app. That’s a pretty significant inconvenience and is now influencing my purchasing decision, which is a little sad. I like the speaker but don’t really want to be having to keep opening the app if I just want to change the volume. Thanks to everyone that have taken the time to respond - much appreciated.

Agreed, it’s an unfortunate stance by Apple, and likely impacting several third party companies, like Sonos. If you wanted to wear a tin foil hat, you could say it was to help Apple sell their own hardware, rather than purchasing elsewhere. There are similar ‘oddities’ with Google. Not as open to everyone as they’d like you to think. Maybe for some valid security reasons, which might be hard for us to ‘see’ easily, though. 

I must say, when companies are so protectionist it does tend to turn me off them. Seems like Apple want to create a monopoly, or as close to it as they can get legally. Does anyone know if it’s the same situation with android phones, or is this exclusively an Apple generated issue?

It’s pretty much the same with Android/Google. It’s a crap shoot as to who introduces restrictions first, but generally the other follows step. 

That’s a little sad, but not entirely surprised. Thanks again for taking the time to respond - much appreciated.

Massive UX fail. This should be referenced in the iOS app… Literally the only app on my phone where the volume buttons don’t work. I had to figure out by accident that I can only control volume on the song’s track in the Sonos app. Can you add a feature that when I hit the volume button, that track screen comes up? There has to be a UX improvement here. 

Probably the only app on your device that is a remote control, rather than an actual music player, too. 

To my knowledge, Sonos argued this with Apple, who was not only intransigent, but I suspect they threatened to remove the app from the Apple ‘store’ unless Sonos removed the ‘hack’ that allowed it to work before. But I’m guessing on that part, based on my previous experience with the Apple Store folks…but I’d be putting money on that, I’m that confident. 

Adding a vote here that Sonos removing hardware controls should still be a goal / concern instead of just being marked “unfixable”. To change volume each time, you have to open up the sonos app (which is beyond terrible) and use the sonos volume, which is remarkably inconvenient. If the NYT audio app (not owned by apple) and others can support hardware volume controls, then it seems there’s no reason why the Sonos app shouldn’t be able to do the same. Especially since this used to work at one point in time. This comment will be ignored and the topic shut down I’m sure, but I just wanted to pipe in about it.