End of Software Updates for Legacy Products

To add clarification, if you have devices in your system that are marked as legacy, then your system will not get an update after May.  Nothing is going to suddenly stop working in May, unless you actually take it out of your system, do the trade up program, intentionally.

Since your devices won’t get updates anymore, there won’t be new features, and some features that interact with other companies services, like streaming and voice, may eventually stop working since the nature of those services are not going to freeze.  This is the same as if you had a phone or tablet that is on an OS version that Apple/Andorid no longer supports and can no longer be updated.   

To be clear, the trade up program does required that you use the 30% discount to buy the same product type (example Port for a Connect),   You also don’t need to make this decision in May, as I understand it.  You could continue on with your system the way it is until the point where a service your using no longer functions properly or you wish to add a new device...which could be a year or more from now.  At that point, you can look at removing your legacy devices and utilizing the discount if you wish.

As far as this situation occurring a few years from now.  It’s important to realize that this is the first instance of this happening, so it’s a bit hard to gauge when the scenario will repeat again.  I don’t know how much capacity the play:1 for example has for upgraded features, or what features would be a problem  for the play:1 going forward.    Also worth considering that the timing is based on when a product was manufactured (or the date it was first release, more accurately) , not when it was sold.  So a Sonos One bought 2 years ago is ‘safer’ than a playbar bought last summer due to it’s released date.

They have to do something, but it’s entirely possible to develop distributed system software that simultaneously accommodates older and newer versions. In fact, it’s common development practice, with well-known approaches like versioned APIs and protocols.

There is no technical reason why a single Sonos system could not comprise older and newer software versions running alongside each other, with limitations. For example, it might not be possible to group older and newer versions.

This is a horrendous decision.  Horrible.  I own more Sonos components than I can count and started to amass them around 2007.  I currently own three One’s, two Fives, 1 Amp, 2 Connects, PlayBar, and the Subwoofer.  Not to mention Sonos Ones I have handed out for Xmas over the years.   FIVE of my components (Fives X2, Amp, Connect X 2) are now going to be rendered extinct.

You market yourself as “high-end”.  Your own marketing initially emphasized how “you can build your system over time”.  Which I did.  SHAME ON YOU!    One of the main reasons for buying HIFI equipment is not only sound, but longevity.  I have speakers and amps that are over 20 years old.

Your promise of a system that a person can build on was the reason I spent THOUSANDS of dollars over the years.  I will never make that mistake again.  This is bait and switch at its most evil.  Shame on you Sonos!

For how long eh?

As a massive fan of Sonos, this decision is quite frankly shameful, and as I can see on reddit, and twitter, everyone seems to agree. Do yourself a favour and go back to a whiteboard with your tail between your legs and think of a better solution to the problem - otherwise watch Sonos die.

Ryan, I won’t mince words. This sucks. Sonos is already a little buggy and I know this change is going to cause grief for us in more ways than one. It ain’t gonna’ be a simple transition. Things are going to get messed up. It’s bad enough that you’re screwing the people who got in early and made a commitment to your brand and company -- the people who helped you establish a successful company -- but your offer of a 30% discount on new equipment is disrespectful. No one told me my investment was “limited” to a certain amount of time when I bought all my equipment. Had I known I might have thought twice about spending this kind of money. I suggest Sonos offer a more substantial discount on new equipment to show their respect to your most loyal customers. Why would I ever reinvest in Sonos knowing now that you will eventually discontinue my products? When I bought the system there were very few choices. Now there are endless choices. Sonos, are we breaking up?

Ditto.  You BASTARDS.  I’ve been with Sonos for 20 years now.  I’ve purchased just about every product you’ve ever made from the beginning.  Over $10,000 worth of your equipment and I’ve sold even more for you with recommendations.  I’ve already thrown away the Controller 100, two Controller 200’s and 3 Bridges.  Now you want me to “Upgrade” and give you more money.  I’m finished.  Bluesound here I come.  It’s better anyway.  It has High Resolution.

So, when can I expect the other components in my system to be EOL’d?

So 6 zones for me at a full replacement cost of £3,294! But I can stay the same for £2,305, gee wow thanks. And the rest of the year looking over my shoulder at the death of Gen1 Play 1s (5 of them), when will they come for the Playbar and Sub?

It just doesn’t make sense to have killed the CR100, Boost & other bits first. Then kill the Gen 1 stuff. Why couldn’t they have been made legacy nicely. Whoever is driving this has little idea about customer sentiment.

Instead they want to force customers to loose the CR100 whilst openly stating there are no plans to kill the zone players and the memory was totally different and they were just fine. Oh hang on, what we meant was kill them off next year.

I am surprised they haven’t said they might catch fire, but not catch fire, like the CR100.

What a load of crap, what went wrong guys?

For reference I am already a refugee walled in behind my firewall with three working CR100s, and Sonophone for apps. Amazon Prime and Spotify are still working.

This is the fastest I’ve ever gone from “love” to “hate” with a company.

Sonos will never see another dollar from me.

With today’s unwelcome and short notice (May 2020) of forced obsolesence of my entire Sonos infrastructure (except my Sub); is Sonos indicating how long the “Modern” products will be supported? When will these be demoted to “Legacy” and lose their value too?

The “Legacy” designation (as I understand it) effectively means I can never expand my (Legacy) system with newer products - I can only scrap and replace it with new (and the “trade up” program while welcome is a small offset to the replacement cost).