28th July 2026 - New Sonos App & Player Updates Now Available!

Agreed. I was a software developer before retirement and my work would be failed and returned to me by QA if my release notes were not good enough and not fully descriptive.

Absolutely agreed. I actually came here looking for the information, in case I've not seen some new features etc. Weird that they generally leave it to users to find out if something is there or not. 

As an aside, I don't know if it's just my ears or some psychological effect of the much improved app leaking in to my listening experience, but I swear my speakers sound better post-recent firmware update too. Something been tweaked... Or did I just clean my ears out? 

A good example of how release notes should be published is the 1Password application (scroll down, click what’s new), this includes security fixes. Security applications tend to have more comprehensive release notes, as it builds trust with their customers/end users.

I just checked Apple HomePod release notes (and Bose), similar repetitive “cut and paste” to Sonos. I’m guessing the marketing departments for smart speakers do not think there is a requirement for more detailed release notes (yet).

The competition is watching closely and would definitely be keen on the details.

If the competition is watching closely they have B/A teams, that is Before and After teams, going through each screen and option of the previous and current release noting each app change. 

Watching the firmware changes is a bit more complicated but if it interests you then much can be learned in a similar way.

For example, the WiiM app is basically a clone of the S1 app. But it’s really the software bugs that leave a company exposed. ‘1Password’ was apparently created by a private individual, and no business firm is going to pay any attention to it. Meanwhile, Sonos operates in a highly competitive market, so it’d be crazy to reveal more internal information than absolutely necessary.

I also think that there is some marketing dept. concern that, if lots of details are made available, the product will be thrown into the “complicated” bin. On the other hand, the security department doesn’t seem to mind “complicated”. The PIN requirement is an example. Lots of people are still fuming that they had to pull down a unit from its shelf mount in order to read its PIN. A suggestion that PIN’s be logged as units are installed should be included in the setup instructions, but this risks “complicated”.

?

Companies are started by private individual(s). Potential investors will be paying attention to 1Password IPO.

What like the T&C that has to be read and accepted by everyone who wants to use any App/Software/Music Service? Being forced to read multiple T&C of multiple pages seems way more complicated than optionally go look for (if interested) and read a few lines of release notes.

I’ve been following this post with interest. Not that I have a lot to offer but it’s interesting to read why contributors believe there isn’t enough information revealed in release notes beyond feature additions, improvements and/or fixes. I guess my needs for the app are less involved until something breaks at which time I’ll take appropriate steps to elevate the concern via proper channels. I can say that “breaks” in my case have all been resolved; most recently up to level 3 Sonos Engineers.

I do have an opinion about the lack of information regarding  alleged bug fixes. My opinion is probably in a direction opposite of most.

IMO revealing information about bug fixes can be very risky and therefore companies don’t elaborate on them. For example a comprehensive explanation (or simply providing too much information) about a bug may have opened an opportunity for exploitation of the app in any number of ways. A nefarious individual or competitor might use such information be it rudimentary or explicit in ways detrimental to Sonos.

All said the above is JMO. Enjoy your Sonos!

Security bugs are very different than function bugs.

Telling me something that was broken now works is valuable information, I want that.

Telling me specific security bugs were patched isn't useful information so I don't pay attention to that.

In my experience, the people who pine for pages long release notes describing every bug fixed or feature added in micro detail are the same ones who threaten a “class action lawsuit” at the drop of a hat.  Not necessarily just for Sonos, but also in my professional life in software engineering.

So this is risky?

https://support.apple.com/en-us/128066

Sonos is not Apple. Apple has a cadre of folks whose only job is to uncover possible ways to exploit its software. Also as stated nothing is revealed in depth until Apple has successfully created a patch and/or adjusted the code. Apple actually pays a bounty $$$ for information that can potentially open/exploit vulnerabilities. 

This is the release note for the current controller update: “Continued refinement of the new Improved Navigation experience.”

This is the release note for the current system update: “” (it’s not listed on the updates page)

I’m not looking for release notes “beyond feature additions, improvements and/or fixes.”. I would like to see release notes that include those. The current release notes for the controller and system updates do not.

I’m sure that there are or soon will be AI tools able to pick through raw application executable code and discover known and unknown vulnerabilities. 

Maybe alluding to the backend side of things. The firmware has also been updated.

They are trying hard to both hide that hacking ability and lock it out... publicly, and on our side of the Pacific anyway.

Excellent news stories on AIs breaking containment and hacking other AIs and computers. Off topic here so no links.

Maybe. It’s left to us to speculate. They didn’t even bother listing the current firmware update on the system updates page.

Years ago, a former support staff member was active here briefly. He once claimed the firmware couldn’t be hacked, which is probably true—otherwise, jailbroken builds would likely already be circulating.

I happened to be awake at the moment the system started updating at 2 AM.

Unless Sonos has done something very unique they use a digital signature to verify firmware updates. That works pretty good to block hobby hackers, but bypassing the loader isn't beyond the abilities of a lot of people. The lack of interest on their part is likely the best security option.

Grabbing a copy of the firmware and examining it is usually a very simple process.

I guess, (re)creating the firmware of a multi-room system takes some team experience in the field. Hobby developers without much practice might risk causing issues or breaking the lot. What then? Threaten to bring a class action if Sonos doesn’t replace the broken gear? 😉

My comment seems to have generated some meaningful dialog on the subject of firmware update documentation made available from Sonos
 

Maybe it will generate some dialog inside Sonos, hope for the best...

That’s not me. I just want a list similar to what WiiM provides.