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 The information contained in this thread is outdated and may no longer be accurate.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

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L

Loveclose

Trending Lyricist I

"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."

Somewhat contradictory to state that responsibility is to build products that last a long time, and then withdraw support for them!!

This thread has gone from page 19 to page 54 in less than 12 hours, so clearly there is a lot of massive concern and outrage from Sonos customers.

I’m not as yet, although I may have missed it, seeing any Sonos input to this thread other than to have previous Sonos policy quoted at us. Will Sonos consider their policy in the light of this thread? I can’t imagine a worse outcome if they leave it at this!!

J

John McCabe

Lyricist III

All the likes are for rants! This is a damming indictment of modern culture that one is looking for a fix.

The beauty of human beings is there ability to be innovative, co operate and overcome adversity,

I took me 5 minutes to solve this issue. Put your heads together and you will solve this issue.

A $50 bit of old school kit can fix all of these issues. I can’t post the fix as Sonos could potentially come up with a way of stopping the fix.

I genuinely hope you sus it.

You’re clearly far more clever than anyone else here. Perhaps you could describe what Sonos components you’ve got, and how you use them, which might help.

A

andy_120

Enthusiast II

And still the share price drops oh dear

S

Simon - Ireland.

Lyricist I

Have sent what I think is a reasonable email to Patrick Spence, the CEO of Sonos. Interesting that I don’t seem to able to copy and paste the text into this Community page. The “Legacy” proposals are outrageous and very badly thought out.

Simon - Ireland.

S

svksnd

Contributor II

With six of my Sonos devices now considered legacy, I will largely abandon Sonos and reconfigure my system in a more centralized way - like I had before Sonos. Fortunately, many of my “common” rooms have ceiling speakers wired to a closet. If I use Sonos to drive these, I will probably just have one unit as a source for a third party multi-zone amp. For the rooms that have Sonos speakers (mostly bedrooms), I will replace Sonos with less expensive alternatives. I have no need for these to be part of a central system since the bedrooms are rarely grouped with other zones.

There is a lesson in all this and it extends beyond Sonos. Many of us have “invested” heavily on Sonos and other smart products like lighting. The truth is that buying Sonos and other smart products is not an investment, it’s spending on disposable goods. What’s happening will continue to happen and it is causing me to rethink my approach. Less is more, and all I really want is to listen to music across my home in a pain free way. I once needed Sonos for that, but that is no longer the case. With a little work I can build a new system that works the way I need and doesn’t put me at the mercy of any one company.

I now look forward to the thousands I’ve spent in HUE lighting and other smart devices to be rendered obsolete. Good times.

S

shonasdaddy

Enthusiast I

There’s not much more outrage that I can add that hasn’t already been included, but I still feel the need to vent. I have 10 Sonos products from the unfortunate Play5 through the Move. Several costing upwards of $700 US each. I think it may be time to “Move” on. I’ve had vintage stereo gear and speakers that were 30 years old and running strong, but ditched all for this “high end” wireless system. That meant getting rid of much vinyl, CDs etc. Oh what a regret.

Bad, bad move Sonos. You better start thinking about the future customers that will now choose other systems even if you toss your loyal customers. I was even one of the testers for the Alexa integration.

Wise up Sonos. Someone there must have the vision to make this right.

Bob

gutted reading comments like this

M

maluk

Lyricist I

In the UK we cannot, due to licensing law get live football/ sports commentary via streaming services. I use a connect with a radio receiver to do this. As a replacement for the shortly redundant connect is going to cost me £££££ do`s anyone have a cheaper idea??

I have massive amount of Sonos product in my house and i am reluctant now to spend any more cash on it. how about a 60% discount sonos?

P

PeterHTH

Lyricist I

Dear Ryan

This is seriously bad news for anyone - like me - who has invested heavily in Sonos and been very positive about you to many people.

It will cost me over £2,500 (after your discount) to replace the ‘obsolete’ items. As they all currently work, it seems an outrage that you should prioritise future sales over current, loyal customers. I also have a number of items that are not yet ‘obsolete’ and I even bought a second Playbar last week. I am now wondering how long it will be before you ditch those, too.

Add to that the terrible publicity about your contempt for the planet in bricking perfectly serviceable technology, and I for one will no longer be an enthusiast for Sonos.

I am very, very disappointed in a company I thought had more integrity.

Peter

B

brooksie909

Lyricist I

Sonos- you have certainly created a legacy! Basically, buy our product, but it will be useless in 10 years time. Congratulations- excellent job.😡

H

HelterSkelter

Enthusiast II

Did anyone from Sonos tell IKEA about this?

IKEA have 433 stores around the world selling the new Symfonisk speakers made in conjunction with SONOS when will they become legacy?

I’m sure that around one billion customers who visited IKEA stores in 2019 won’t be buying them when they find out!

Why? The IKEA speakers are supported. I’m sure there are some with legacy products and IKEA, but I’m not sure what is unique about that group of customers. Are you implying that potential IKEA customers are going to assume that their IKEA speakers will lose support 5 years from now, with a 30% discount on buying a replacement, and that will drive them away?

I would have thought Sonos are attempting to move to a legacy model for all of their equipment.

Hence all trust has evaporated for me. I won’t be buying any Sonos if there is not some kind of back track and full disclosure with a road map for the future.

The Ikea branded items just have significantly more exposure to new customers, than Sonos branded, and pick up new customers. But will they have a shelf life like our legacy equipment? I would have thought so, but maybe Sonos will explain.

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