Retired Sonos Staff

End of Software Updates for Legacy Products

Related content:Software

1377 replies
91240 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 The information contained in this thread is outdated and may no longer be accurate.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

P

Philip_5

Lyricist III

Adding my displeasure to this growing thread.

I am not happy, and will no longer recommend SONOS to anyone. I will not buy the Move I was planning for the barn.

I spent a lot of money on high quality speakers to have them last a long time. This is the expected return of investment, and worked for my old Denon and Infinity system.

I don't want updates, ever. I want a stable seamless system, which connects to 2 music services. I don't want to talk to it, ever. I don't want new features. I like music. I hate new features.

At least a frozen system will not suffer from updates which make it slower and occasionally not work.

I'm now hoping SONOS will realise how bad this is and ensure legacy systems can run as long as SONOS exists as a company.

Translate

Ryan SAuthor

Retired Sonos Staff

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.

Translate

Mark good posts by pressing the like button, and select the best answer on questions you've asked to help others find solutions.

2000Z3M

Lyricist III

Wow. However, I’m really not that surprised by this “betrayal”; Sonos has been pushing pretty hard on the sales front as of late, if the number of “buy new stuff” related messages I have recently received from Sonos is any indication.

I have about a 50/50 mix of (cough) ‘’Modern” and “Legacy” Sonos boxes; I will not be trading up any of my Sonos gear, nor will I be purchasing any new Sonos equipment. Hardware failures will not be replaced with Sonos items.

I plan to go into legacy software mode; I have found that the vast majority of software updates over the past few years have done nothing to improve my personal user experience. I also find the constant twiddling with the controller GUI to be incredibly annoying, so forcing legacy stability on me is actually a plus. I will hopefully get a few more years out of my system, before I move on to another vendor’s gear.

Translate

R

rick9957

Lyricist III

Terrible decision. I have purchased a number of Sonos products over the years but that will change now. I have other audio equipment that would offer an upgraded circuit board for a minimal cost if capabilities changed significantly. Instead Sonos feels their old systems have to be recycled and only has a 30 percent discount. Will no longer recommend Sonos if the lifespan is this short. Sonos states a product intro date but fails to point out that the products in some cases were still being sold just a year ago and are now obsolete

Translate

K

kellyk

Lyricist I

It is just GALLING that they are trying to say these were “introduced” 2005-2011 - but they were sold as brand new state of the art equipment 5 years ago!

Do you IDIOTS think I am going to buy a whole new speaker system every 5 or 10 years????

If you wanted to make absolutely sure that a customer would never under any circumstances buy any more prodcuts from your company, this is a foolproof way of doing it.

Who is running your company? Some spies trying to ruin it?

I’m out. Sonos lost me forever. I’ll make sure everyone I know knows to not purchase from such a crappy and greedy company. Better options out there now anyway. They can keep their crappy discount (and even have the nerve to make you turn in old equipment). They can keep their new speakers they are trying to sell, because those will be outdated in five years. What a shit company. So disappointed in their stupidity and lack of respect.

Translate

Ryan SAuthor

Retired Sonos Staff

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.

Translate

Mark good posts by pressing the like button, and select the best answer on questions you've asked to help others find solutions.

A

areyoukiddingme

Lyricist I

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.

I’ve been using Sonos products for almost 10 years. Today’s announcement (if the company follows through with it) will ensure I don’t ever buy another product from you. As others have noted this nonsense about ‘memory and processing power’ is so see-through. Forcing us to recycle perfectly functioning hardware and spend a ton on new stuff (for folks like me who have multiple systems) is a great way to piss off your customers. Customers like me; who have evangelized your product to many of our friends and have helped your company grow. Sonos is not (nearly) the only game in town these days, so if you follow through with this plan I’ll continue to use my current gear until it stops working and then I’ll be buying one of your competitors systems.

Translate

P

potamus

Lyricist II

And you are deleting threads and comments about this too, very classy.

This will dump 7 of my ridiculously expensive units. I am gobsmacked at this. Shocking piece of profiteering, even if I was I inclined to upgrade, what’s to say the next batch of kit isn’t dumped next year?

Translate

T

Thomas_106

Contributor II

So when will my Playbar and Sub be made Legacy? Next year? Do I need to rush my stuff onto eBay before the news gets out? Why would ANYONE ever buy more of your gear? If I bought more Sonos from this day forward I’d always be wondering if this was the year they brick my system.

SONOS please publish a “legacy timing document” so I have some idea when to eBay my stuff - I’ll do it as fast as I can but would love any help you can give me. Also thanks for making this announcement so I know NOT to invest in your temp gear and buy products that are built to last.

Translate

D

deanb2

Lyricist I

Planned obsolescence never looks good on a company.

You will have to offer more significant upgrades for a higher discount before I upgrade anything,

Translate

Show more replies

Sign up

Login to the community