Retired Sonos Staff

End of Software Updates for Legacy Products

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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 The information contained in this thread is outdated and may no longer be accurate.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.

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Francis888

Lyricist I

I also have no plans for expansion ...

So this does not bother me all that much, once I am satisfied that accidental bricking of legacy products can be avoided.

Good for you. However, there are lots of people who have evolving Sonos systems in which they’re adding devices.

I know; and of these people, those that get to know of this event are going to find that their decision has become more complex.

The case for getting legacy styled “dumb” stereo kit and adding cheap Echo Dots interfaces to it, that can be thrown away every few years, just got better. Sonos needs much higher up front investments, and their messaging in support of that has in turn immediately become more of a challenge.

Yes that seems like a good option. Do the echo dots sync the music across speakers like Sonos does? (i.e. no lag between speakers)

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jgamgort

Lyricist I

This issue will effect most of my system. What is most frustrating is my recent purchases of an SUB/AMP and beam within the last 3 months. Can I get a refund? This is beyond disappointing. Intentionally and purposefully obsoleting systems that function perfectly well, despite the recycling program, is irresponsible as a business and socially. Offering a 30% discount would be nice to customers who were adding on to their system but not even remotely acceptable to customers who have to replace almost their entire system that works fine as of today. My only ask is to reconsider this or find an alternate solution. What a terrible way to treat customers of your brand.

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dan_80

Contributor I

As an early adopter of the SONOS system I did so at a time when SONOS was the only game in town. Now BOSE, APPLE, KLIPSCH and many, many other manufacturers are developing comparable systems. If SONOS does not make this terrible decision right, I will no longer purchase SONOS and will opt for another brand that hasn't purposely screwed me!

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dano223

Lyricist I

I’ll try to be more constructive and less of a rant, but there’s no getting around the fact that this is disappointing news to be sure. Your biggest fans, like me, have been with you the longest. This is not a great way to reward them. My situation may not be as bad as others, but I have two Connect products that would need updating -- which are of course “primary” products in my household because they connect to my two main audio systems. So in one email I find out I have to pay north of $600... just to keep things “as-is?” Was this part of the deal when I bought them and I just missed it?

I guess my reaction is pretty simple: maybe I should start investigating other options. Let’s see, perhaps we can all speculate when the current line of Sonos products will “age out.” Any guesses?

When I think about i, the thing that is most troubling in all of this, to me, is the bit about it impacting the entire system. I’d be fine if Sonos decided to stop supporting a “legacy” product after a while. I get it. I have an old remote and I certainly don’t expect that to get an update anytime soon. By why does this have to impact all of my current products and my system as a whole?

I have a 2010 iMac that can no longer be updated. But this doesn’t impact my new iPad or iPhone. Yes, I get that Sonos is a “system” -- and yet somehow my dear old iMac can continue to connect to my new iPhone and my new iPad. My god, what a technological miracle!

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Michael_355

Contributor I

I am totally pissed off I just bought a Sonos connect amp at Christmas because it was $100 off I have three Sonos connect amp’s and one Sonos connect that is junk I’ve been building my system for 10 years and a Pay another $1500 to get my system where they can give me downloads is BS!!!

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augustwest

Enthusiast II

This is NUTS! You want me to replace 16 devices? You are only offering a 30% discount? See how I am affected. I am livid! I obviously have been a HUGE supporter and now you do this?

I have to replace 14 myself (all but 2 are connects or connect amps). NOT A SMALL FINANCIAL BURDEN to do so. Glad they will still “work” but this is nuts. The trade up policy is weak and greedy on the part of SONOS.

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Kryt3n

Trending Lyricist I

Not happy by this announcement having spent over £4k on Sonos since August 2015 and with a system of 11 devices, finding out that unless I remove 2 devices which are only £5 years old and cost £800 my overall system can’t receive any updates unless I want to fork out another £650 (including 30% discount) to upgrade just so I can keep my system grouped together and stay on the latest software. How long before the play:1 is axed next! With the premium cost of Sonos vs Amazon and Google speakers this is a bad move!

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Kumar

@morgan4x4 : no worries at this time, just get off the upgrade train and continue using the system as you are using it now. When any hardware dies, you have a problem though…for all that remains, if you want to replace with Sonos.

Or until Apple Music (e.g.) changes anything about its streaming protocol.

What have they done on these lines in the past? But yes, if Apple Music does something after May 2020 that does not work with Sonos software up to May 2020.

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jimn

Lyricist II

Gutted !!! Built up my small system as and when I had the money (like so many others) only to find the old is now obsolete and dropping in the bin before the new arrives ! The speakers you have pushed into ‘legacy’ are still brilliant - I have not had to replace any in the time I have had them - now I find I have to replace them if I want to continue getting the best and adding zones.

Not sure I want to pile in lots more money to get what I already have !

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stueys

Contributor II

I’ve been a Sonos customer from the early days and now have a 10 unit system. Where I completely get that Sonos can’t forever provide updates to old products as the portfolio will get too diverse it’s nothing short of shameful that they’ve decided to force you into an upgrade by ensuring that you can also no longer update your recent purchases.

That’s basically gutting your customers. Sonos is an interconnected system, the whole point of it is that you acquire over time and your system grows. Being forced into wholescale upgrades on whatever timescale Sonos’s financial results fancy isn’t tenable or ethical.

I’m fine with a resonable timelimit on updates being provided to kit, that’s an industry norm. But Sonos need to ensure that legacy kit will continue to work with modern kit that’s receiving upgrades. That’s an entirely resonable expectation from customers who have spent a lot of money.

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