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 The information contained in this thread is outdated and may no longer be accurate.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

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.

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dementedbuddha

Trending Lyricist I

I guess this would have to come eventually. I wish I had thought it through before spending thousands of dollars on this system. They are computers in the end and so don't have a lifespan. I can't think of a bigger purchasing regret. I won't be trading up or buying new Sonos speakers, I expect more life from premium audio equipment. I still have my parents Dynex amp and Advent speakers from the 60's. I'm not going to spend more money on a system that won't be supported in a few years again. Most people just get Alexa speakers these days and are perfectly happy as most people aren't audiophiles. If I had to bet, I'd say Sonos as a company has a limited life span just because of the competition alone, leaving aside moves like this.

I had some hope they might open source this stuff and let the dyi'ers give it a go. I'm sure a vibrant community would spring up. Sadly that wouldn't sell more speakers, so it probably won't happen.

Very sad.

N

Nidderdaledps

Complain to the CEO: Patrick.Spence@sonos.com

H

HelterSkelter

Enthusiast II

So, I’ve given this a bit of thought.

Yep, I’m incredibly angry about what Sonos have done, and Yep …. I won’t be spending any more money on Sonos equipment. There is absolutely no point, as that too will expire in the future.

My decision is to continue to use my existing sonos system (15 units of which 9 are legacy, and 4 more will follow very very soon) until it really does die and will no longer stream any more.

At that point, I’ll enjoy looking for a replacement system, from a different company.

My requirements will change though, It’ll be a single hub that communicates to any sound source (including streaming services), easy and relatively cheap to replace when that no longer functions, and outputting just sound connections to fairly dumb speakers around the house that don’t require updates.

This new system may appear to very similar specification to the system my parents had in my childhood home. Interestingly, it still works very well, and I’m now 53.

A

amun

Good question, Kumar. That’ll be answered in May when we have more details to share, but powered off devices that are still registered to a system shouldn’t cause you any trouble.

Ryan, powered off legacy devices should still prevent the rest of the “good” products from being updated; just because legacy products are powered off does not mean they have been junked. Hopefully, that is what you mean in the last bit of the quote!

We’ll have to get into this a bit more in May. Currently, I believe that having a powered off legacy device wouldn’t prevent an update, assuming everything powered on is modern. But I’ll bring your concerns to the team.

So I should hope…. Otherwise simply turning off an old device could allow the rest to update and mess up the user completely… Are you sure that this has been thought through properly???

R

richeslean

Lyricist I

I have 9 amps and a play 5 at home, 14 amps and two play 5 at the office.

WTF!!!!!!!!

Any suggestions for a replacement?

I’m with you on this one.Sold my Linn system for Sonos.Big mistake.

A

alex928gt2

Contributor I

Early adopter since 2007. Extremely disappointed as all other posters here.

I really don’t see the point of the choice you’re making here.

Simple players do not need top processing / memory to just play music or this demonstrates a major flaw in the way your system is designed.

The whole setup should be managed by a Sonos server, with players just connecting as clients to play music and relaying the network.

Sonos, please propose such a solution so that the same OS version can be maintained across the system, just making the distinction between server (more powerful) and clients (less powerful). This way we just maybe need to upgrade the server here and there over time but not the clients… And I’m ready to buy such server at a reasonable price if it allows to maintain my full legacy system.

By the way, the same comment holds for CR100 and CR200 remotes, they don’t need to be able to run the latest fancy OS, just to connect to the server that would run fancy functionalities.

Meanwhile, as already mentioned by others, at least maintenance upgrades should be provided so as to maintain current services.This is the least you can do to protect yourselves from early customers fury.

H

hyperlite34

Lyricist III

:rage: I will add my 2 cents to this thread as well. I too am extremely disappointed by this news. As many have mentioned, I was an early adopter as well to the Sonos ecosystem. I have recommended Sonos to numerous friends and family that have also gone “all in” and purchased many Sonos products. I’ve practically been a extension of the Sonos Sales Team through the years because I truly love everything about Sonos. We’ll that is until today.

They need to come up with a better solution for those that have legacy products. Sonos forcing the hand of loyal Customers is ridiculous. Sonos is becoming the Microsoft and Apple version of the Audio world. What a joke. It’s taken many years to build my Sonos system and I love everything about it. Please Sonos, be loyal to your Customers as we have been to you. If not, you’ll regret it.

M

Michael Maloney

Lyricist I

Not another dime! Goodbye….Will also let everyone I know what a poor choice you product is.

A

amun

Adding more features and not being able to use them is one thing.

However, let’s hope no current features are removed, especially streaming services.

Don’t want to hear come May “We are changing the way we integrate Tidal/Soundcloud/Qobuz and you will only be able to use this with the latest software version. This means if you have legacy products you will have to upgrade to new kit.”

Shame, because it sounds like that what you’re going to hear….

L

luvpame

Trending Lyricist I

I need to do more investigation, but as of right now it seems Sonos may have some of us over a barrel. The majority of my system involves driving my preexisting stereo systems. I only have 2 Sonos speakers but I have 5 Connects. What Sonos alternatives offer the capability to drive stereo systems? IOW, who other than the Denon HEOS offers a competitive product to the Connect (now the Port)?

Amazon Link $199

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