Retired Sonos Staff

End of Software Updates for Legacy Products

Related content:Software

1377 replies
91259 views
Translate All

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 The information contained in this thread is outdated and may no longer be accurate.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

J

Juan Potato

Lyricist I

How do Sonos expect users to manage, now they have declared that users may find that parts, or all, of their system will no longer be updated. This implies that items will become obsolete, even though they may appear to function perfectly. Are we supposed to run out and spend huge amounts on already expensive components to replace our current systems? Not me. How about you?

Translate

jgatie

Hi Ryan

Why are re-sellers still selling the Connect: and Connect:Amp? These will become obsolete in less than 6 months. To be continuing to sell these after the announcement you have just made, is (in my opinion) close to fraudulent activity, and certainly would not pass the “fit for purpose” test.

Thanks

No they won’t. Only those sold before 2016 are obsolete.

Translate

getjams

Avid Contributor II

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.

Translate

SteveC2017

Contributor I

Looks like SONOS are happy for you to hand your cash over to them for older stuff https://www.sonos.com/en-gb/shop/certified-refurbished

Translate

SJC

J

jbtaylor

Lyricist I

Hah! I was just researching extending my system further around the house, so it’s a relief I didn’t pull the trigger yet on any more Sonos. My Play:5 is 5 years old and I never even contemplated at the time I might be paying $500 for something that I’d be told this soon was obsolete. It’s also pretty worthless now for resale, right? So that’s $100 a year to rent a speaker? I realize I may get another 2 years out of it till maybe Spotify & Pandora won’t work on it; but what you’ve really just told me is I’d be wise to check out other options; I don’t see myself spending the ~$400 I was thinking about for a couple of Sonos Ones if that commits me to having to replace my 5. And my “modern” 3 (4 years old) -- how long till it gets s***-canned? I’m glad this happened now, extending my Sonos at this point feels like a bad bet.

Shame though -- awesome system! But I bet with a little research I could be as happy with another option. And this is educational, I’ll have to be sure to understand next time how much of the “smarts” sits with the speaker and is subject to these kind of end of life decisions.

Translate

A

augustwest

Enthusiast II

I am happy to see SONOS starting to take a beating on social media: WELL DESERVED.

Translate

P

pcosgrave

Lyricist I

I honestly cant see how you are justifying this. Being part of the beta for the new version for 3 months now and today i get a e-mail saying 3 of my 6 devices are now EOL. The justification that the units have been pushed to their limits and can’t receive your new update is just bs. If they had been pushed so hard how is it that i’m running your next version perfectly fine with no issues?? This to me just seems like a money grab to get early supporters to spend more money.

I’ve recommended you to so many people over the years and now hate the fact that i have. I for one know that i’ll not be purchasing any more sonos devices (and i was just looking at expanding my line up 30 minutes before the e-mail) and when i am forced to update because the integration with Alexa or Spotify stop working that I will spend my hard earned money somewhere else. So disappointed

Translate

P

patrickfatica

Lyricist I

This is unbelievable. I just spent a fortune on a Connect for Christmas and now I find out it will no longer work. This is unbelievable. I own 3 One speakers, the Subwoofer and the Playbar and just got the Connect to hook up to my outdoor hardwired system. I have spent a small fortune on your system. There was no mention anywhere that the Connect was going to stop getting updates when it was purchased. Giving me a lousy 30% off a $650 amp is an additional $400 to basically get what I already have.

I am very disappointed with your company.

If you purchased the Connect recently, it will not be affected. Only those manufactured before 2016 are obsolete.

It was purchased from Amazon. It was literally hooked up less than a month ago. It shows up n my account as a Legacy product.

Translate

H

hirez24

Lyricist II

I recently received the end of software update email that essentially told me my entire system will be obsolete come May. It is this email that has informed my decision to not buy any more Sonos products.

It seems to me that Sonos is pushing the voice controlled software on everyone, if i wanted voice control I would buy google or Amazon product.

I could even see if your new products supported 24bit high resolution files or dsd or even legacy DTS, at last that would be a reason to upgrade.

But forcing people to upgrade as a business model is not good business, i see no valid upgrades in the new product line. If anything the new products due to the voice assistants area liability in my book.

I will use the products I have until they no longer work, after that I will find a better system probably blu-sound or HEOS.

I fear that this new direction that Sonos has taken will be its downfall, if you are going to charge premium prices for your products you need to blow the google and amazons out of the water I wish Sonos a lot of luck on its new path but I will not be following.

Translate

S

stevepow

Prominent Collaborator I

I have a very large Sonos system - grown over time as we have really enjoyed the relative simplicity, even though it lacks terribly in queue / playlist management.

I’ m looking at $1800 after the “discount” to get current.

I get that these products are getting long in the tooth and I knew eventually something would have to change to get modern tech and features.

What really irks me is that this new “follows” the price increases instead of giving up a heads up that, BTW, if you don’t upgrade, your old stuff is dead (or at least comatose). That’s some jerk behavior. If you’d have waited a year, maybe OK, but wow. Sonos should roll back the price increases for some period of time now after this announcement.

So now, after years of use (we still use the original Sonos LCD controller! - when your products were built to last and did), Sonos have given us a good reason to re-shop the competition and perhaps unwind ourselves from Sonos altogether as our legacy system becomes frozen. Or maybe I do nothing, and enjoy the system as we have been until a component dies - then deal with it.

Translate

Show more replies

Sign up

Login to the community