Retired Sonos Staff

End of Software Updates for Legacy Products

Related content:Software

1377 replies
91117 views

Please note that we’ve created a new thread with some clarifications to questions that have come up several times in this thread. Please see here to continue the discussion if you still have any questions. The information contained in this thread is outdated and may no longer be accurate.

We have some important news regarding our oldest Sonos devices shared on the Sonos Blog today. The text of that blog post is being included here for your convenience:

Starting in May 2020, some of our oldest products will no longer receive software updates or new features. We want to explain why and your options.

When we first set out almost 20 years ago to invent the technology to easily listen to any song in any room, most of the ways we listen to music today did not exist. In fact, the first Sonos products were introduced before the first iPhone was announced and when Myspace still ruled social media.

In order to invent multi-room music and smart speakers, we combined the worlds of high-fidelity audio and computing. Every Sonos product has a microprocessor, flash memory, and other hardware components typically found in computers and smartphones.

Since launching our first products, technology has advanced at an exponential rate; from streaming services and voice assistants to wireless networking and Bluetooth capabilities. Through all of this transformation, we have continued delivering new features via software updates. We’re extremely proud of the fact that we build products that last a long time, and that listeners continue to enjoy them. In fact, 92% of the products we’ve ever shipped are still in use today. That is unheard of in the world of consumer electronics. However, we’ve now come to a point where some of the oldest products have been stretched to their technical limits in terms of memory and processing power.

This coming May, these legacy products—our original Zone Players, Connect, and Connect:Amp (launched in 2006; includes versions sold until 2015), first-generation Play:5 (launched 2009), CR200 (launched 2009), and Bridge (launched 2007)—will no longer receive software updates or new features.

Today the Sonos experience relies on an interconnected ecosystem, giving you access to more than 100 streaming services, voice assistants, and control options like Apple AirPlay 2. Without new software updates, access to services and overall functionality of your sound system will eventually be disrupted, particularly as partners evolve their technology.

To help you through this transition, we’re providing two options:

Option 1: Continue using these legacy products, recognizing that your system will no longer receive software updates and new features.

Option 2: Trade up to a new Sonos product with a 30% credit for each legacy product you replace.

If you’re not sure if your products are affected, you can check in the System tab in your sonos.com-account

If you choose to participate in the trade up program, your legacy products will be put in Recycle Mode, a state that deletes personally identifiable information and prepares these products for e-recycling. Recycle Mode also protects unsuspecting people from buying legacy products that are approaching the end of their useful life and won’t provide the Sonos experience customers expect today. Recycle Mode will only apply to the legacy products listed above.

We ask that you take your legacy products to a nearby certified e-recycling facility. This is the most environmentally friendly way to recycle. That said, if there isn’t a facility in your area, we are happy to pay for you to ship your products back to Sonos for responsible recycling.

Ideally all our products would last forever, but for now we’re limited by the existing technology. Our responsibility here is threefold: build products that last a long time; continually look for ways to make our products more environmentally friendly through materials, packaging, and our supply chain and take responsibility for helping you through the transition once products near the end of their useful life.

We’ve always believed in freedom of choice, whether that means choosing a certain streaming service or way to control your listening experience. We hope the choices provided here—continuing to use these products without new software updates or trading up to our modern products—enable you to make the choice that’s right for you.

We are honored to have a place in your home and want to make sure that we help continue to bring the best experience we can, even when products reach the end of their useful life.

More information.

Please let us know if you have any questions.

This topic has been closed for further comments. You can use the search bar to find a similar topic, or create a new one by clicking Create Topic at the top of the page.

Show previous replies

S

sigep111

Lyricist I

I was the first person I know who bought Sonos, and I religiously talked them up to everyone I knew. I was like an unofficial, unpaid brand ambassador, and happy to do it. I’ve built my system up throughout the years, even though I felt each time I was overpaying for the unit - I loved the connectivity of it all and their desire to use my opinions within the Beta program.

And now? Sonos apparently decides they can make a whole bunch of money by basically forcing loyal customers to spend money to buy back products they’d previously purchased which still worked PERFECTLY! I’m beyond disappointed. This feels like a scam, and if anyone starts a class action lawsuit, sign me up.

B

Brentr

Trending Lyricist I

I was the first person I know who bought Sonos, and I religiously talked them up to everyone I knew. I was like an unofficial, unpaid brand ambassador, and happy to do it. I’ve built my system up throughout the years, even though I felt each time I was overpaying for the unit - I loved the connectivity of it all and their desire to use my opinions within the Beta program.

And now? Sonos apparently decides they can make a whole bunch of money by basically forcing loyal customers to spend money to buy back products they’d previously purchased which still worked PERFECTLY! I’m beyond disappointed. This feels like a scam, and if anyone starts a class action lawsuit, sign me up.

Bring on the class action, anyone who buys Sonos now is a mug.

G

Gillydior

Enthusiast I

Windows and Apple (and all) computers become old and the manufacturer's no longer update the software, but the system still works, they even provide a disk or licence so the hardware can be re-booted.

Sonos however are updating the software making the hardware unusable!

They should make available the original software but without updates if they don’t desire doing so, and make a new version of the App for new sonos hardware.

D

docma

Lyricist II

Just to add my $.02 not that Sonos really cares at all about many of us but you do indeed SUCK as many have commented. I don’t want any updates or further help from you. Just allow me to disconnect from Sonos and let my present system to continue to work as is without crippling my system. So far you will sundown 2 Connects, 2Connect:Amps, 2 bridges, 2Play 5, my CR200 controller (which is far better than the Sonos iPhone app), 2 bridges. I am assuming my 2 Play 3 and my 2 Ones are included. You already rendered my Dock and the CR100 controller obsolete and don’t work. So of course you prefer that I spend thousands of dollars to upgrade, then in a few years make the “new” components obsolete. Not a chance.

Hate to repeat, but just allow me to continue to allow all of my components to continue to function fully as they presently work and leave me and my system alone. Alas, since you don’t care i assume just like the dock and the CR100 controller my components will cease to function at some point.

Future buyers: beware your components will eventually cease to work..

E

Erik Erik

Lyricist I

Unbelievable trying to force me to put in more money to a system that could stop working any day the company choose to put an end to one of the components in the chain.
Good bye Sons, it will not happen!

C

castalla

Local Superstar

Hey, Guys - what are you switching to? No way, I’m giving sonos another dime after this crap.

I am going to research something open source and stick to dumb speakers. It may be the inferior option but at least I won’t be throwing away any money. After this I can’t trust large sums of cash on any “smart” products, they crossed a line here that changes everything.

Buy a raspberry pi - run Logitech Media Server on it (or even on an existing Win/Mac PC) - your existing Sonos speakers become alive again.

It's the courageous bee's knees - all 6 🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝. - - - - - Make Sonos Great Again - - - - -

K

K2K

Lyricist II

Post 2 - it’s nearly the end of the day. I have had too many friends telling me “i told you so.” or asking “what are doing with $ thousands worth of Sonos product anyway?” (to which I have to admit, no - it’s $ thousands of *bricked* Sonos components. I have purchased much more than that.). Ouch.

Is it Greed, Laziness, Disdain, Dumbness, or Desperation?

You might be surprised how little i actually care about bricking old tech. It’s not the “what” - it’s the “how”. Sonos made statements that it is dealing with the computer technology obsolescence in a way that doesn’t hold up to the tech community, that wasn’t the way that Sonos was sold in the first place, and maybe just might be an insult to the Sonos development team. As well as your user base.

This isn’t a technology problem. This is a business predictability and trust problem-hopefully now learned through this painful experience. Please - put the MBAs back in their box, try to recover the loyalty you previously earned. This is your opportunity to turn it all around. I really want Sonos to succeed, but this is such the wrong path.

C

Ctrlcv

Lyricist II

I'm done..no more Sonos for me! Imagine spending 800.00cdn on a Sonos Sub that now no longer functions....throwing money away...this is nothing more than a cash grab..I will go back to old speakers with amps ...I am pretty sure this is the beginning of the end for Sonos.

I highly suggest that everyone go.to the app on apple or google and give it a rating of 1 star. I also suggest that you tell everyone you know to stay away from Sonos products.

Sonos obviously needs money. You should have just charged a monthly fee for the app and left our equipment alone...or you could have created an inexpensive connect ...like Google music that allowed us to continue to use our product with an inexpensive disposable connect that could be swapped out when technology advanced..

Shame on you Sonos..I am so very disappointed

S

skyschemer

Enthusiast II

Thank you, Sonos, for the $2000 bill I received in my inbox today. A price that includes the 30% discount for your trade-in program.

A

ausono

Enthusiast I

Booooo… Your Company is Bad and You Should Feel Bad!

Such an obvious anti-customer cash grab from a struggling company.

With one single email I’ve gone from being an early adopter and evangelical fan to completely burnt on your system and company brand/morals.

I can see how your marketing department thought this move was a great idea, instead of having to find new customers to sell to, why not just re-sell to our captive audience! It’s gear with a luxury price tag so the audience must have cash to splash, lets just hold our customers to ransom to get a quick cash injection.

As with everyone else, this has had the opposite effect on me… I won’t negotiate with terrorists.

Instead of just opening my wallet and handing you money for “more of the same”, I now completely don’t trust you. There’s no way I’m going to “trade up” the “obsolete” units (that still work perfectly fine), when I have to pay full RRP for the privilege (30% off is a joke - it equates to the normal sale price here) and when the new units aren’t substantially different… especially when you will just declare those “obsolete” the next time you want more cash.

Quite recently I was going to buy another 4 speakers and I’m glad I didn’t, as I now realise that every speaker you own with Sonos becomes a revenue stream for them when they hold you hostage for it.

Show more replies

Sign up

Login to the community