I’m absolutely fine with the mobile Sonos App. I like its layout and have got so used to it, that I don’t even need to think about it - I don’t personally like the old Windows Desktop interface and so rarely use that, but these things will always be subjective. No-one can ever please all the people, all of the time.

I'd bet money that if an anonymous customer survey were conducted, the majority of people using the Sonos app wouldn't like it. Most people on the support boards here seem to be fine with it, but if you look elsewhere there are many complaints. Taking a brief look in the apple app store reviews, the overall star score is likely inflated because many people write negative 5 star reviews. I guess to make sure their reviews aren’t deleted (which mine was when I attempted to review). 

Here’s another thread about it:

For the family and myself (friends too) it’s just a ‘remote control’ App for playing/controlling music on our speakers - I mostly concentrate more on the music than the App.

As I said, I use it without even thinking about it, as I’ve got so used to it and know where everything is… I know the App inside out and back to front and I’m fine with the UX - it’s as easy to use as any TV remote, I find. I have no issue searching/playing/contolling anything. “It does what it says on the tin”. 

I find it really simple to use, but perhaps that’s because I’ve used the App since in was first launched (and I used the old App/interface for a long time too) and there’s no doubt I will likely use any new Sonos App, if they do ever launch one, as has been hinted at on this and many other websites.

My complaints are not about the “remote control” aspect of the app, which is simple enough. And works consistently for me (though others have issues). I would love to see it working better as a music discovery service as well, which it really doesn’t excel at since there’s little to no info about artists / albums / etc. But the Sonos business decision seems to be that they have built an API for third-party services to use, and that’s the end of the discussion. 

Sonos could make a really great App, ignoring both the Apple and Google store rules, and let customers install it directly from the Sonos site after opening up their phone’s locks.

Of course every App that I know of that has tried this has died soon after they got booted from the stores.

Agreed it’s not great, to be honest is Sonos made a small remote control available, that would go some way to improving the situation would it not? 

Try the IKEA Dirigera. You’d need an IKEA bridge and remote.

Ok great, thanks 

I'm using an Android phone and you can control sonos volume with hardware buttons even when you're not in the sonos app. It's pretty cool. I bought an iphone 13 mini today, and just discovered that i can't control volume with hardware button anymore. 

I got 6 sonos speakers... im so disappointed. It's going to be a nightmare

Yep, it’s unfortunate that Apple forced this change. 

The IKEA drigera option is unacceptably expensive and unnecessary

Lets not defend the shortcomings of what is pitched as a premium product and system which has no right in placing it's loyal committed customers in the middle of a technical dispute rather than finding a viable cost free solution........

So who exactly has put “it's loyal committed customers in the middle of a technical dispute"? Sonos or Apple? Should Sonos really risk being kicked of the Apple App Store -which I understand Apple will do if you do not adhere to their demands?

……well, yes! 

I have a very sensitive ear and can tell the slightest difference in music.  Sending music to the Move speaker from iPhone is nice.  However, sending music to Move from the Sonos app is stunning.  So, is it possible to change the volume on the iPhone before opening the Sonos app?  I just blew out my ears with volume at max and no way to turn it down.

By the way, what has happened to the antitrust laws?  

Something must have set max volume when it was last used? Why not open the app, set the volume to roughly what you want, start the music and fine-adjust the volume? 

Or use Google Assistant to either change the volume before starting up music using your voice or set a daily command to change the volume at a certain time.

These arguments from Sonos are cheap and pretextual. If I want to play my music from my local library, I can no longer use the Apple side buttons. And the library is just a fileshare, not a service or server. I think Apple understands the need for this function and it would be a great feature for Sonos to control the volume with the watch. Win win. But no, profit optimization comes before customer satisfaction.(from both sides)
But what do you expect from a company whose software gets worse, slower and more restrictive with every new release? The latest 'highlight' from Sonos is that with the new suggested search function, the local library is no longer listed. Or hires Flac in the combination Play R+L+ Sub have interruptions. 
As soon as something goes wrong with the hardware, all the crap goes out. Unfortunately, the hardware is quite good but the software is an absolute joke and is only developed with minimal profit-optimized effort.

I know people are trying to be helpful but let’s be honest, the whole scenario is very poor and amongst other reasons, wish i went with Bose instead of Sonos! 

Has anyone tried the new (to me) Apple Speaker at $399?  As I get older, I am beginning to believe using software and hardware from the same company might limit the problems trying to setup things.

as far as I can tell, you can use the iPhone  hardware volume buttons if you start from a non-sonos music player (I use YouTube Music) and send music to a sonos speaker via airplay, and then move to the sonos app (both the old version and the brand new one) the hardware buttons do work. Plus you can use the thumbs up/down controls from the source app. 

This same “procedure” has worked for me.  To be honest, it only happened by accident.  Then, I retraced my steps.  

Right? If this isn’t fixed I might dump Sonos altogether. Ease was the whole point. 
If we vote with our dollars they may be more inclined to sort this out.

Antitrust laws for the win! This could finally be a case that at least has apple reconsider some of these INSANE restrictions. 

WHY DID I UPGRADE THIS APP? 

This was the last nail in the coffin i would say. The new app looks better but is horrible. Changing EQ is a complete mess and now it’s even harder to adjust the volume. Can’t even us my TV remote ,when the tv is switched off, after the new speaker updates (solved it with another remote, sub optimal). The volume control issues with iphone hardware can be solved by creating automations, but that isn’t a good user experience, and it requires a lot of coding. Add to it that the dynamic EQ have only gotten worse, over excited and disting bass on low volumes, to non existing bass at higher volumes, mid volumes makes the speakers dist and the bass to break up. I totally get why there is a dynamic EQ in place since the elements are small and they want to protect the speakers. But the sound engineers really need to rethink this and the app developers needs to go back to the drawing board. The sound and aesthetic isn’t that good to motive buyers to keep the eco-system.

Total BS

What a fine first post (or is it not your first)?