End of Software Updates for Legacy Products

I was literally about to pull the trigger on a new Sonos sub and then this… Recently picked up the a Beam, grabbed it from Costco so that shit is going right back. Two connects going obsolete and I have a Play Gen2 and 2 Play1s I am going to attempt to dump. I assume resell prices for all equipment is going to tank if Sonos doesn’t immediately walk this back.

As a company who literally survives on your early adopters to push your products why would you even begin to think this was a good idea. It is not like your company has a huge market share and considering how expensive your products are this is going to tank any sales.

It was fun while it lasted, knew it was too good to be true. Farewell

This is no different than Apple saying not apps will get updated on iphone 7’s or get system updates or whatever, but this is on such a larger scale because most don’t just have one speaker like a cell phone. 

I think what would help here is if Sonos would make it like 50% off instead of 30% and know that if we get new products they would be good for 10+ years or something. However, the trust has been broken now, you get a new product from them, how long will it be good for till they kill it off?!?!? I have already started to look at some other products like BOSE and RUSSOUND, see if I can get a good product to do what my Sonos Connect AMPs do.

Hey, Guys - what are you switching to? No way, I’m giving sonos another dime after this crap. 

I am going to research something open source and stick to dumb speakers. It may be the inferior option but at least I won’t be throwing away any money. After this I can’t trust large sums of cash on any “smart” products, they crossed a line here that changes everything.

Sonos is the new comcast.  Get ready to watch their stock prices go into free fall with all the angry folk.  Hell, with the $2k they want from me to upgrade I think imma gonna just short their stock instead.

“..because Sonos is a system, all products operate on the same software. If modern products remain connected to legacy products after May, they also will not receive software updates and new features.”

The more I mull over this the worse it gets. I buy a new Sonos product, with the promise of upgrades, new features as part of the price premium. The person in the store promises me this, the Sonos website promises me this.

But because I have a legacy product on my system, this will not happen: - no bug releases/fixes within warranty period, no new features to work as advertised during warranty period. The product will not work as advertised (or they have to advertise that the promise does not apply if you own an older product).

Australian consumer law states (see below from ACCC) with remedies to be addressed by retailer including replacement, compensation for loss and damages etc… independent of any retailer and manufacturer warranty. The retailer cannot refuse to help you.

This is a minefield waiting to happen for retailers, and importers in particular countries.

Send me a smart lawyer please…

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Products must be of acceptable quality, that is:

• safe, lasting, with no faults
• look acceptable
• do all the things someone would normally expect them to do.

Acceptable quality takes into account what would normally be expected for the type of product and cost.

Products must:

• match descriptions made by the salesperson, on packaging and labels, and in promotions or advertising
• match any demonstration model or sample you asked for
• be fit for the purpose the business told you it would be fit for and for any purpose that you made known to the business before purchasing
• come with full title and ownership
• not carry any hidden debts or extra charges
• come with undisturbed possession, so no one has a right to take the goods away or prevent you from using them
• meet any extra promises made about performance, condition and quality, such as life time guarantees and money back offers

Interesting…

”come with undisturbed possession so no one has the right to take the goods away or prevent you from using them.”

Sonos "How it started"

Great story.

I fear it will not be as good match how it ended.

Very disappointing.  This is a very poorly thought through decision.  I have 11 Sonos speakers and I enjoy them very much, but if I have to re-purchase working speakers just to stay on support I will certainly not be purchasing Sonos speakers.  Way to kill your brand Sonos.  Bravo… Slow clap....

I’m super pissed at Sonos, it is poor form to make such a critical decision and announce it in this manner. Like most on here I am skeptical that this is just about creating new sales revenue. I’m not buying Sonos again. I’ll just let my ‘legacy’ products die a slow death and while they do that I’ll investigate replacement products that do not require proprietry software for core functionality. 

It is a lot simpler than the open source thing; get a Echo Dot for about 30 USD or less, and wire it to well made active speakers that have a good service back up that can deliver service life in decades. These “dumb” speakers need nothing more than that. Smart speakers of any other make will have the same issues that Sonos has surfaced.

And this is by no means an inferior option.

The products/technology being sunset are/is over 10 years old, regardless of when purchased and first put into service....

It was bound to happen as technology does obsolete over time, and the support requirements to support would hurt Sonos’ ability to innovate. Windows 98 is also long gone.

That said the trade-in should offer greater discount for items more recently put into service. 30% is just meh if you bought in within the past 2 years... I traded 3 connect:amps and a connect earlier this year because I knew it was only a matter of time once the new versions were released. The 30% helped, but I decided the ecosystem was well worth eating the rest.  that is me.

(I took another old Connect I had and traded it for 100% purchase credit at PS Audio, which is an amazing trade in plan!!.)

Still love Sonos!! It rocks on my PS amps..

Does anyone else feel angry, upset and betrayed by Sonos for not continuing support for the products that we paid very good money for all these years? The 30% discount doesn’t even cover the increase in cost for the new zone players. It sounds very likely that they plan to just pull the plug on music services for our “Legacy” products. I’ve gone from being a die hard supporter to one who can’t wait to see what the competition has to offer. How can Sonos do this to us? If anyone hears of a class action lawsuit regarding this issue please let me know. They can’t get away with this! They should fire the CEO for this business decision.

Echo system?

I feel this legacy issue advised by a poorly worded email of download support being progressively withdrawn from this May is so wrong on many levels.If this is correct  i will not purchase or recommend another Sonos product and to then offer a pathetic trade in as a consumer offset is a poorly veiled product marketing campaign would be well below cost and should be for the original purchase value or swap for new product .I would encourage ( as i will) to contact your local state consumer bureau and determine your rights of proper recourse and determine if Sonos can act this way  .Hopefully volume of feedback will make Sonos think that as a technology platform provider that there are other solutions to bridge the changes.otherwise what type of so called leading technology company is behind this group. Very disatisfied consumer    

What happened to Sonos, used to be a good company that valued their customers. Now just a bunch of money grubbing prick. How dare you brick my $2500 sounds system that is only 4 ½ years old. Never again will this company see a cent from me, I suggest if you agree then vent below before Sonos removes this post.

Lets send the bastards broke.  Post anywhere on the internet your frustrations with Sonos,. ( google, Facebook, Twitter ect) 

I would like to add my voice to that of those who are truly disappointed by this decision and this apparent change of direction by Sonos. 

I have invested in many Sonos components over the years with the (now mistaken) belief that they would continue to stand behind their equipment. While I understand that some of the new services may require more processing power I always assumed that the basic functionality would continue to be supported in a seamless manner.

I hope that nothing is done that breaks my ability to use my (now) legacy speakers in connection with the more modern ones for basic functions like listening to music stored on my NAS. While I don’t believe I will continue to recommend Sonos products, should future updates require that I split my Sonos network into two that will be the end of any future relationship I will have with this company. 

I would have thought that such a leading company in wireless home audio would value its reputation and the good will it has built up with its invested customers a little more.

Offering a 30% discount to upgrade perfectly functional equipment seemed like a strange move at the time and I now view it as an attempt to have a speaking point when this news came out.

Wait till May for all the clarity to be delivered by Sonos. The trade in will still be available then, should you want it.

I feel this legacy issue advised by a poorly worded email of download support being progressively withdrawn from this May is so wrong on many levels.If this is correct  i will not purchase or recommend another Sonos product and to then offer a pathetic trade in as a consumer offset is a poorly veiled product marketing campaign would be well below cost and should be for the original purchase value or swap for new product .I would encourage ( as i will) to contact your local state consumer bureau and determine your rights of proper recourse and determine if Sonos can act this way  .Hopefully volume of feedback will make Sonos think that as a technology platform provider that there are other solutions to bridge the changes.otherwise what type of so called leading technology company is behind this group. Very disatisfied consumer    

ecosystem. (english is my third language, sometimes no so good)

You just lost a customer. 

I was about to purchase additional units for my Sonos system as I just moved to a bigger house, when I received an email stating that my play:5 will no longer be receiving updates in May. This means that unless I hand over hundreds more dollars to Sonos, my entire system will slowly degrade and become non-operational. Then I would have to spend hundreds more dollars to expand my system. The 30% discount is a bit insulting as it doesn't really change the fact that I have to pay a lot just to keep my system going. I was even more frustrated that your 30% discount didn't even apply to a play:5 gen 2 product to replace the gen1. I spent over $1,000 on my system and I can't trust a company that's going to suddenly render it inoperable. I have a great macbook pro from the same era that still works perfectly. 

I'm very sad because I was rooting for Sonos. You've made an otherwise great product that offered a wireless alternative to the likes of Google Home & Amazon Echo, which I don't like listening in on my private conversations. Not to mention the far better sound quality and multi-room functionality. At the end of the day though, the cost is too high if I have to keep upgrading the already expensive devices.

Maybe the reason for this is an upcoming update that will bring real surround sound support with no more phantom center speaker for Sonos amp users and or adding separate right and left speakers for Sonos playbar/beam users. That would take the sting out… it would make me buy _more_ Sonos gear!

stay tuned guys…..big class action case on the way.  a big press release is coming…..

sons better do something quick or I’m dumping my whole system and I too will be shorting the stock.  What a lousy way to pay back customer loyalty.  goodbye sonos!!!

What happened to Sonos, used to be a good company that valued their customers. Now just a bunch of money grubbing pricks. How dare you brick my $2500 sounds system that is only 4 ½ years old. Never again will this company see a cent from me, I suggest if you agree then vent below before Sonos removes this post.

Lets send the bastards broke.  Post anywhere on the internet your frustrations with Sonos,. ( google, Facebook, Twitter ect) 

This is what happens when a great company plans to go public, abandons technology in favor of short-sighted profit goals and let’s the former CFO run the place into the ground.  Nice work board members for approving this disaster!