Retired Sonos Staff

End of Software Updates for Legacy Products

Related content:Software

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 The information contained in this thread is outdated and may no longer be accurate.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

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.

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A

Alkemiker

Lyricist I

Ryan,

So, what a kick in the shorts. So, I have at least one of your legacy products which will be a cancer to the rest of my products. Great. Tell you what, I used to be a loyal customer but you were also the only game in town. No longer. I will not be trading up, I will be trading out. So long, TaTa, Adios, Auf Wiedersehen. Oh, and FU and the SONOS brand.

K

Kumar

But I understand, the “system” will eventually not work at all. A mix of legacy and non-legacy not being updated will eventually stop. Is that right?

Correct, Legacy products will stop working at some point for streaming, but you could get years. You will be able to use them for local music, but consider Sonos has (purposefully?) not updated their SMB version and you are stuck with the major compromised v1.

Ahh...I see that “you could get years” was added via an edit in the last para quoted. I would not worry too much about that aspect - what Sonos says on this count could be they playing bogeyman, or under advice of lawyers. The years may stretch out to a decade. And not all streaming services may be affected in a way that they stop working on legacy devices at the same time.

I don't see any reason to be herded into dumping legacy products and opting for new Sonos replacements right now. That can be done even two years from now. Or more. Or by buying something else at that time.

F

Federico C

Contributor I

I have Sonos throughout the house - probably $4000 invested in this, and an early adopter. I love the system. All my equipment is “legacy”. I’m not interested in “trading up”. I understand the need to advance the technology, but I would like some reassurance from Sonos that when streaming services such as TuneIn and Spotify do make changes that could render them incompatible with these legacy products, to work closely with them to ensure that does not happen.

rosenqui

Trending Lyricist I

I think my only gripe is the lack of generosity in the discount offered. I find myself facing an unexpected bill of £280 for a Port to replace my Connect, with little real benefit.

Agreed. I’ve got 4 Connect:AMPs, bought as recently as late 2014, and 16 Sonos devices in total. If Sonos had offered to recycle the older units and offered credit in the 70% range instead of 30% I’d probably have jumped. I doubt Sonos will sweeten the trade-up deal now though, otherwise they’d face the wrath of anyone who did the trade-up at 30%. I’m looking at a bill of over CDN$2500 once you factor in taxes, just to keep the functionality I have now 😠. If I’m faced with spending that much money on a rip & replace, I’ll take a hard look at doing my entire system and getting a brand whose soundbars can handle DD+, DTS, etc.

I just want a connected speaker with access to the various streaming services that are out there. I don’t care if it has Bluetooth, AirPlay, Alexa, or Google Assistant. What I do want is security updates and bug fixes, plus support for new streaming services as those come and go.

A

acssprez

Lyricist III

Also wanted to share how that it will negatively effect me personally.

I currently use a Connect:Amp sitting in my master closet to run ceiling speakers in the garage. Once that goes away, I’ll have a couple options.

1 - Lose the speakers entirely. Would have been ok before I put in the speakers, but now I use them fairly often. Not a good option.

2 - Setup a second legacy system just for the garage if possible. Problem with that is I usually use an echo dot and alexa voice to control, like I do the rest of my house. I’d lose that, or have to setup a 2nd alexa account, and not sure how that would work with my smart device controls. And obviously, I would lose the ability to play with other rooms.

3 - Replace the connect:amp with a normal amp, and run it directly from an echo dot or echo input. I have a spare amp for that (oversized, but still) or could get a cheap amp. it would not be in the Sonos system, but I think I can live with that. Amp would need to be move to the garage and rewiring would need to occur.

4 - Replace the Connect:amp with a Sonos Amp. With the 30% discount, that’s $455 to basically restore what I currently have. Don’t think I could take advantage of the new features.

5 - Replace the Connect:amp with an Echo Amp ($300). This would give me pretty much what I have today, except I wouldn’t be able to sync with my Sonos system. The only real advantage over a normal amp is that I don’t have to relocate the amp to the garage.

6 - Replace the Connect:amp with a normal amp and an Echo Link ($200). Cheaper than the echo amp option and would not have to relocate my amp.

7 - Replace the Connect:amp with a Sonos Move. I have a Move already but not crazy about leaving it in the garage and don’t want to move it around that often. I also don’t have an ideal shelf for the Move. Wouldn’t be using my existing speakers. Not a horrible option though.

8 - Replace the speakers with a pair of Sonos Ones ($266) or Sonos One SLs ($252). Actually, I have a spare set that I might use this for. No good shelf, but mounting wouldn’t be too big of an issue ($60). Power would need to be worked out, but I think I can do that.

Leaning towards option 8 since I have the spare already.

I also have 2 Connects that are not currently used, and was thinking of using my spare normal amp to add more speakers in the backyard. That’s not going to happen now.

A couple months to decide.

As someone with over 17K invested in this system/equipment (to include connected speakers to my AMPS). Upgrading is not an affordable option, I have 2 of the newer AMPS and 2 Play One’s with the remainder AMPS and Sonos speakers being legacy products. THIS REALLY SUCKS! I’m selling off my equipment and moving on. Just awful….never seen this coming from Sonos.

K

kenwade007

Lyricist I

So after only 2 years Sonos determines my not cheap equipment is obsolete????

And the offer to replace with a paltry 30% discount????

I dont think so.....blue bye Sonos....plenty of high end competitors out there that sound just as good if not better than your equipment that will continue to work just fine for years!

Congratulations....you just lost one faithful customer and I hope they follow me in droves for such a blatant disregard for your loyal customer base that got you to where you are today.

Appalling!!!!

M

matthew.bacon

Lyricist III

But I understand, the “system” will eventually not work at all. A mix of legacy and non-legacy not being updated will eventually stop. Is that right?

Correct, Legacy products will stop working at some point for streaming, but you could get years. You will be able to use them for local music, but consider Sonos has (purposefully?) not updated their SMB version and you are stuck with the major compromised v1.

no guarantees they will be useable for local music for years to come. If Sonos update the controller software requiring the latest OS version and do not support legacy core functionality in all future app updates they effectively kill all legacy hardware.

S

spunkworks

Lyricist III

I just bought a playbar last week, the rest of my ecosystem is about 9 now legacy sonos products, I will return my playbar for a refund and it will be the last sonos device bought by me.

K

Karla P.

Lyricist I

Looks like it is time to abandon Sonos as a platform.

After spending over $3000 on Sonos equipment over the years, including (at their request) spending $75 on a Boost as recently as December 2019, Sonos tells me that they will no longer support my system.

I don’t want to spend any more money on a company that treats its customers so badly.

I will be ditching Sonos. After spending so much money on their speakers to find out that they won’t be supported anymore. How dare they! It’s unethical!

I

IJN

Renowned Enthusiast I

I have just posted a one * review on John Lewis website against a Sonos product stating that although the products are excellent, Sonos have just announced the obsolescence of a product which was on sale as late as late 2015. Avoid Sonos purchases at all costs.

Suggest each of you writes similar reviews on major retailers’ sites to cause severe commercial damage to the Sonos brand (which is in effect self-inflicted)

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