Retired Sonos Staff

End of Software Updates for Legacy Products

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 The information contained in this thread is outdated and may no longer be accurate.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

Renowned Enthusiast I

Right so we wont get the “timely” or “scheduled” updates but saying “regular” that implies the possibility of “non regular” updates. Like i said they need to be clear, if their intention is “You have 3 legacy products that do not receive software updates and new features as of May 2020.” (notice the lack of the word regular) then thats what they should say.

You raise a good point. Good luck getting a clear answer.

Edit: Ok just read jgatie's quote and it seems definitive even though the other wording is not precise

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jorgen.strand

Lyricist I

Looks like it is time to abandon Sonos as a platform.

After spending over $3000 on Sonos equipment over the years, including (at their request) spending $75 on a Boost as recently as December 2019, Sonos tells me that they will no longer support my system.

I don’t want to spend any more money on a company that treats its customers so badly.

Totally agree! Very disappointed with Sonos after being a happy customer for years.

I have a large Sonos system setup and the total cost of upgrade (and potential future upgrades) takes me off the Sonos roadmap.

from a sustainability point of view - Sonos is also moving in the wrong direction. As far as I can understand this is not even commented by Sonos...

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jgatie

You raise a good point. Good luck getting a clear answer.

Clear answer is in the very first post of this thread.

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.

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rkbrook

Lyricist I

I feel betrayed. This little announcement will cost me about $3,000, assuming I stay with Sonos. My products were some of the originals and I have supported Sonos religiously as all the new smart speakers came to market. In fact, I have fought for Sonos as friends and colleagues have told me I didn’t need expensive Sonos equipment to get great sound. I’ve been an advocate for their quality products and exceptional sound against all the new entrants. I recently bought Sonos One speakers rather than Echo devices because I believed in, and supported, the Sonos brand.

In one simple email Sonos has lost my trust, loyalty - and probably my future business. I see the stock is already crashing. Such a shame. Such a shame. I wish I could say I am angry. I’m not angry- I’m just so sad that the management at Sonos have made this horrible blunder.

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pwt

Virtuoso

Just had this reply back from sonos.

… we will provide ways to separate your legacy and modern products so that the modern products can still receive updates, and legacy products can still be used. We'll have more details in May.

How this is done will be critical. If Sonos gets this wrong with a clumsy implementation, it’s quite possibly all over for them because they’ll have a reputation of ‘only supported for 5 years’. Sales will tank.

Which begs the question: why is this not sorted out now, in conjunction with the announcement. This is going to blow up, and sales may tank immediately.

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4 x P:5 | Sub | 4 x P:1 | 3 x Connect | 2 x Boost | Connect:Amp | 2 x One | Amp | Move | Port | Era 300

S

Stewart_9

Contributor I

When i received the email today I simply could not believe my eyes. Sonos as a massive champion of your products in the past I feel truly embarrassed that I have sung your praises and strongly recommended your products to many of my friends. Having a ten zone system with varying products has meant that you want to thank my loyalty by a £2000 bill for an upgrade on a system that will still just play music as it always has (But past May, possibly won’t for too much longer). This seems nothing short of extortion and I feel that this could be a defining moment in your companies future! Just looking at this forum in the last two hours demonstrates just how wrong you may have got this! Destroying a loyal customer base for any company in this day and age seems a very bold step and I truly hope that you are reading peoples thoughts so that you can reconsider these actions!

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JohnB52

Lyricist I

Instead of posting our frustrations on the forum - we can bombard the CEO, Patrick Spence, via email at https://www.sonos.com/en-us/contact (go to bottom of webpage).

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NeedSleep

Renowned Enthusiast I

Clear answer is in the very first post of this thread.

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.

They omitted this from the email text shady af.

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K

kassey22000

Enthusiast II

Have you alerted Best Buy to staff up for the rush of customers looking to take advantage of that generous %30 discount on SONOS gear being offered to it’s most loyal customers? No, I think not. I can’t imagine there are too many folks out there who will jump to take advantage of this offer without exhaustively researching all alternatives, including going back to hardwired systems. I notice SONOs is markedly down in the market today. I suggest you declare this disaster an early April Fools joke and go back to the drawing board before national consumer media gets a good grip on how UNHAPPY people are with this. Before your company goes under.

I just heard from our local hi-end audio retailer and they are livid as well. Wonder if the good folks at Audiolab dot com (who push Sonos product) think of this devaluation for their loyal customer base. Glad I’m not on the other end of that discussion.

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gmmorris

Lyricist I

I was an early adopter of SONOS and currently have 12 zones in my home. Very upsetting news to find out that I will have to replace all the equipment if I want to receive updates. While the 30% discount is certainly attractive, replacing hardware for multiple zones becomes very expensive. It is true that Apple, Microsoft and others stop supporting products all the time, but you are rarely in a position (unless you are a business) to be forced to replace many products at the same time. Perhaps SONOS could offer a replacement pricing scheme that takes into account how many units you are replacing?

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