Retired Sonos Staff

End of Software Updates for Legacy Products

Related content:Software

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 The information contained in this thread is outdated and may no longer be accurate.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

S

snap6565

Lyricist II

Think this is disgraceful. You invest hundreds of pounds, me to the tune of 3k. Then sonos tells you half your kit over hlaf will basically start to not support any upgrades and finally I'm guessing stop working all together. Never mind.30% off how about a refund.

SONOS I'm disgusted

E

edamame

Trending Lyricist I

What happens if I buy a new computer or move to another country and need to set up my system again….will I not be able to get things working again?.

Please advise us on this issue Sonos

M

matthew.bacon

Lyricist III

Sonos if you are reading this you have kicked your brand into touch amongst the customers that championed you for so many years.

They say no publicity is bad publicity - wrong!

W

Webbd

Lyricist II

Sonos you are a disgrace. This announcement is nothing more than Sonos trying to appease your new investors into believing you have a viable business

SONOS YOU JUST DESTROYED all of your loyal customers. Bye bye. Sell Sell SONOS stock hard

live owned Sonos products since the first shipment into the uk in January 2005 and have continued to add to that system over the years whilst also promoting Sonson to friends an family. Oh dear what have I done!
I even bought some Sonos Stock but thankfully saw the writing on the wall when they bricked my cr100s and I sold the stock

Sonos is finished in its current form. Investors are pointless if you have destroyed customer loyalty

Bye bye Sonos it was great while it lasted.

S

smellster

Lyricist III

I'm not even bothering to read the previous 15 pages as I can guess that people are thinking the same as me.

Just received the email about my expensive play 5 gen 1 and connect amp both purchased in 2014 no longer being supported.

I also have 9, yes 9 Play 1s and a Boost. Yes big house.

This is completely disgusting behaviour, an obvious attempt at a cash grab. In an increasingly crowded market for connected speakers, my response to Sonos is to go and screw yourselves.

I will not spend another pound/euro on your hardware.

When the endless software nags annoy me too much or when you no doubt bork my system with a software update 'cos I haven't upgraded to new hardware I will sell my 9 Play 1' s and Boost on the second hand market.

Goodbye.

And just to add to my earlier comment......

What the hell were you thinking sending an email out titled:

'Your system needs attention'

What planet do you people live on?

The only thing that needs attention is the head of the money grabbing accountant whose idea this was and the board member that signed it off.

Some of my 9 Play 1's are approaching 5 years old do I need to sell these second hand now before they become irrelevant?

chickentender

@Michael Arones, thanks for taking the time to write up such detailed questions. Several of these are questions that will be answered later this year when we have more to share...

I would strongly urge that such questions as Michael’s be addressed, specifically and completely, in a much-accelerated time-frame… Today, or this week, and very visibly.
Judging from the response in just several hours, it must be very clear to anyone and everyone that this has spiraled well out of control.

Ryan SAuthor

Retired Sonos Staff

What happens if I buy a new computer or move to another country and need to set up my system again….will I not be able to get things working again?.

Please advise us on this issue Sonos

You’ll still be able to set your system up, and if you have any trouble, the support team will be happy to help you get it all working again.

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

K

KM4ME

Avid Contributor I

In one announcement Sonos have sowed the seeds to their own bankruptcy.

no one will trust Sonos again

G

Goodbye Sonos

Enthusiast II

Curiously enough, the same day as this announcement from Sonos arrived in my inbox, I got the following email from Toyota.

END OF CAR SUPPORT

Dear Customer

In May 2020, Toyota will cease supporting your 2015 Toyota Corolla. While you will continue to be able to drive your car, we regret that your car may start to slow down and will not be able to be driven on new or upgraded roads and may not accept modern fuels. Even if you have more up to date cars in your family, as your cars all sit on the same driveway, these cars also will be unable to be driven on newer roads.

Yours

Toyota Support

That’s how ridiculous this is.

That is brilliant… really explains how awful this move is… I will never buy sonos again...

J

Jeremy Allison

Enthusiast I

Like the rest of you, I received the EOL and upgrade notification. I have a Play5 that is impacted, and was told I could trade it in for 30% off of a Move? WTF? Not even a 1-to-1 swap from a component perspective.

So what system is everyone changing to? I think I'm done with Sonos.

I’m looking at Bluesound. They’re expensive, but hopefully supported for longer (but who knows these days). I have 3 connect zones that have just been trashed, and 3 play5’s (two of them paired with a Sub). I’ll probably keep the Play1’s + sub (for as long as Sonos deigns to support them) but transition out for my higher-end receivers currently connected to Sonos connects. What a way to alienate your customers. Amazing. Haven’t seen this level of stupidity since Gerald Ratner destroyed his own brand in the UK.

I’m still wondering how I’ll transition the family and friends (all of whom invested in the Sonos ecosystem on my recommendation) off Sonos. They’re not going to want to invest in something as expensive again. Google Chromecast audio’s would have been great, but Google (disclosure - I work there) stupidly cancelled them.

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