Skip to main content

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 The information contained in this thread is outdated and may no longer be accurate.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

Everything I feel has already been said by others but deeply annoyed by this decision. You have lost another customer Sonos. 

It was clear that this was going to have to be done at some point, and it is probably more surprising that the inevitable has not happened sooner.  I’m not surprised, either, that the frozen system option is ‘all-or-nothing’. But that makes it a non-option for me, as I don’t want to close off future developments, given that I have only one ‘legacy’ component.  I must admit I didn’t expect Connects sold as recently as 2015 to go at this point though.

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. Sure, I get a new Port that may last longer than my Connect would have done (or may not, I shall never know).  Better DAC?  I use digital out to a DAC / pre-amp.  Airplay? Never use it, don’t own anything Apple.  12V trigger?  No use for it.

So that’s a bit disappointing, but nobody died.   I suspect there will be some posts coming up that equate Sonos’ decision to murder, or possibly genocide, to judge by some past threads.


Why is it clear John B??

My system works perfectly.  I have no need to update it until it breaks.

I simply cannot afford at this time to update my system and pay a hefty price for it.

No Sonos owner ever expected to be dumped in such a mercenary fashion when they chose to invest at some expense on a Sonos product.

Sorry, but saying ‘nobody died’, and ‘equate Sonos’ decision to murder’ simply ignores the plight of us mere mortals that still have a perfectly working system and have no need to change it.

You can opt out of updates and don’t have to change it.  I have posted elsewhere that I don’t think that is a great option longer term but there is no pressing need for you to upgrade.

any alternative only way , these guys are cocky lets teach them a lesson

 

Also, this is TERRIBLE for the environment. Just another way you look like @#@@% in this. What an idiotic move. 

There should 10000% be a legacy mode to utilize the quality sound equipment with limited features, perhaps separate from the new stuff. 

There is.  The features being limited to those it had when you bought the products plus those added up to May 2020.

Wrong, they are threatening that ALL the newer stuff will quit working too if you don’t upgrade because you keep legacy products in the system!

The legacy mode for older devices will keep working, but eventually software changes with services may make legacy devices be unable to connect with them. You’ll be able to split systems though and use your modern devices separate from your legacy devices both in the same household.

They negates your key value proposition!  I want to hear the same music as I go from room to room.  My choices are 1) spend $1000s to upgrade in order to just continue or 2) Figure out how to manage a split system, which eliminates your value prop.  Why wouldn’t I go somewhere else???

Why don’t you let Sonos relate the “facts” and show some outrage too, or is this all fine with you?

Someone needs to relate the facts, surely; Sonos doesn't have the resources to do this as quickly. And not everyone may feel outrage, and those that do, do not all need to also express it? How does that help?

Kumar, the more outrage that is expressed, the more SONOS execs will have to carefully plan out how to fix this mess and appropriately maintain support for the older systems.  Let the outrage continue.

Let the outrage continue by all means; all I said was that it isn't necessary for all here to feel it or to express it. And what will influence Sonos are the sales numbers/trends more than the outrage, much of which they will have expected.

It will be interesting to see - for what its worth - the stock price movements for the next few weeks.

I have 13 products a mix of old and new. 3 are said to be EOL. 

 

Of the 4 connect amps I have only 1 is EOL. All purchased at the same time 4 years ago. How long until the other 3 are as well?

 

Guess I’ll get more AMPs to replace them - wait - SONOS secretly Jacked the price of AMP $50 to correspond with this announcement. LOL 

 

If this direction isn't changed quickly I’ll be putting ALL my SONOS gear on eBay.

 

Only SONOS I’ll be buying from here on out is PUTS. 

 

It was a great run but all good things must come to an end! You guys wrecked this company! Good for the the CPO cashing out. 

Is this all to support voice control features I could care about? INSANE. I see the CPO sold 1/3 of his stock a few weeks back. He obviously knew the storm was coming and customers would storm the gates. I bet there were some bitter board room arguments about this poor decision.

@#$@ you Sonos. You won’t get another penny from me.

Chief Product Officer sells 1/3 of shares in Sonos in early January. 
 

https://www.google.com/amp/s/techknowbits.com/2020/01/21/insider-selling-sonos-inc-nasdaqsono-insider-sells-36453-shares-of-stock-updated-updated.html/amp

SEC should look into this news!  Selling out just before this very poor anouncement!  Smells insider trading

Does Sonos have an obligation to support the billions of dollars of product they have put in service?  I assume the User Agreement says they don’t but will be worth having a class action law firm take a look since it feels like extortion.   

Is this all to support voice control features I could give 2 shits about? INSANE. I see the CPO sold 1/3 of his stock a few weeks back. He obviously knew the shit storm was coming and customers would storm the gates. I bet there were some bitter board room arguments about this poor decision.

If he sold knowing this Was coming, he could be using insider knowledge to avoid a decline in stock price.  That is called insider trading.  

I have 13 products a mix of old and new. 3 are said to be EOL. 

 

Of the 4 connect amps I have only 1 is EOL. All purchased at the same time 4 years ago. How long until the other 3 are as well?

 

Guess I’ll get more AMPs to replace them - wait - SONOS secretly Jacked the price of AMP $50 to correspond with this announcement. LOL 

 

If this direction isn't changed quickly I’ll be putting ALL my SONOS gear on eBay.

 

Only SONOS I’ll be buying from here on out is PUTS. 

 

It was a great run but all good things must come to an end! You guys wrecked this company! Good for the the CPO cashing out. 

 

I have already started posting my gear on CL. I hope to get a fair portion of the $10k I spent on this soon to be bricked gear. Selling it all including the “modern” crap. Some other sucker will have to pay the price for their greedy move.

What about the Sub? It came out in 2012 so it seems like it’s right on the line. I am considering using my 30% off from my soon-to-be-bricked Connect:Amp to get a sub but I am concerned with its age.

Our commitment is to support products with software updates for a minimum of five years after we stop selling them, and we have a track record of supporting for longer. The Sub is still being sold today.

Unfortunately, that’s simply not good enough for system audio components that are intended to work together and be added to over time.

Need some bricks to fix your home? Call me, I have a few different kinds…..

On sale: Connect - this could be the keystone in your archway

Coming soon:  Play1 Gen1, you can build a solid wall with these!

A few months later: Play5 Gen2 - use it as a door stop!

This is very disappointing. I own several Play:1 and Play:5. I was planning to add a few of the new Amps to my new home for the larger living spaces and outdoor speakers. I will now be looking at different options for my music system, as what is to say that in a few years time those Amps won’t be trashed by Sonos.

I expect the Play:1 to be next on the chopping block in the next couple of years.

Such crap - a Connect doesn’t need to do voice control either, and I’d be more happy if some things were disabled for it, and it alone - but holding the whole system to ransom is inexcusable.

 

 

As the OP said, you can opt for no more updates.

 

You’re literally missing my point.

If a Connect had some new feature disabled for it - fine. But it still should play nice with newer equipment that can support the new feature. They are keeping the WHOLE system ransom due to one older device. Not only that, but when a music service inevitably changes their API, the integration will stop working, so over time the speakers will break. This is unforgivable.

Very dissapointed in sonos.  

3 months notice that equipment becomes end of life is really short notice, may as well have just said its happening tomorrow.   And cynically after black friday, christmas and the sales.  So you force another early year boost in sales, very very poor tactics to your loyal customer base.

  

If this is the standard end of life terms and conditions for the whole sonos product range, its too risky.  Any product at any time could be EOL.

I’ll disable updates and see how it goes.  I have often wondered how long it would last, as its technology delivered audio.  But its now a tickingtime bomb for the apps on phones.  They will eventually stop working resulting in all the technology turning into bricks.  

 

Complete BS! Rethink this Sonos. You are screwing so many loyal customers. A 30% buyback is beyond insulting! When do you stop supporting the new speakers? In another 5 years?

SONOS just screwed its long-time, good customers.

I have 13 SONOS units. Today, SONOS sent an email announcing that 10 of the units will no longer get software updates as of May 2020. So, if any music service,  MS Windows, or Apple makes a security change after May 2020 that the existing software doesn’t agree with, then my system will stop operating.

The replacement cost of these 10 units is $4,650 and even with 30% offered for trade-ins, my outlay to keep my system operating will be $3,255.

When Microsoft and others force an upgrade, to say, Windows 10, the upgrade is free. If you can’t do that because the issue is inadequate amount of memory for future firmware upgrades, then I would suggest doing what the router and NAS companies do, and have two update paths … including one for “legacy’ products so at least existing functionality would remain working with critical security updates, etc..

The installed base of legacy SONOS equipment must be huge and I have no intention of being forced to replace SONOS equipment with SONOS. If I started over with a new non-SONOS system, it would be cheaper than SONOS. Based on what is in the SONOS Community board, I am not the only one who thinks this way.

This news has made my choice of cinema system much easier.!?!

After years of buying, owning and enjoying Sonos, it’s time to sell up and move on, before my whole system is obsolete.

Purely on an ethical level, how can Sonos have any green credibility if you now have customers throwing away perfectly serviceable equipment? I’m disgusted.

 

 

Anyone know of alternatives? I’d prefer not to use Google as they are probably worse than Sonos. Open source solutions welcome. I’m willing to wire speakers around the house and then use my Sonos speakers to lift my car, snowblower, etc, when I need to change a tire.

I must admit that I am not thrilled about receiving the end of life notification for my Gen 1 Play 5 today. I only bought it in 2015 so its not even 5 years old. I will seriously have to rethink my options about Sonos products going forward.

Sonos needs to change their path and support “legacy”.  We have 13 devices, 30% off is insulting.  We were a couple weeks away from buying more devices, not happening now.  When will the rest of my devices go legacy?  Now my play Play:1’s and 3’s are at risk in addition to my old Play5’s, Connect and Amp.  As an early adopter it looks like I’m going to need to start migrating to a new system, spent thousands, what a waste. I’ve sold all of our friends and family on Sonos, now I get to spread the word on the disappointing news. Sonos, please change your plans!  Anyone starting litigation?  I was sure happy to get a full payout on my VW TDI 3 years ago.  

There are lots of non-Sonos options; I’m just going to leave this here:  https://play-fi.com/products/

 

 

More info: https://www.crutchfield.com/S-p0umkCfDUea/learn/introducing-play-fi-wireless-audio.html

Terms & ConditionsCookie settings