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 The information contained in this thread is outdated and may no longer be accurate.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

Show previous replies

I

igotthisone

Lyricist III

I’ve been a Sonos owner for 11 years and a huge supporter of your product. In fact, I’ve probably single handedly sold 10 times the amount of equipment that I have purchased via word of mouth. NO MORE! I’ve received your subtle hints with your 30% upgrade beta testing and offers. To replace my expensive system and recycle my very usable “LEGACY” components with newer shinny stuff will cost me over $1,700. When I invested in your early company it wasn’t with the notion that you would pull the carpet out from under your “LEGACY” supporters once you became public. The BS excuses about memory or processing power to be able to just stream music is ridiculous. This is a bold face upsell tactic and one of your biggest supporters and past Beta testers has now become public enemy number ONE! Shame on you SONOS!

V

vcdxb

Contributor II

This is such BS! I have been buying and building my Sonos system over years and roughly spent $3K so far. this news only impacts one of my speakers (Play 5) but reading this news makes me worried about the other speakers i own. I dont think I can invest further into the Sonos system and would start looking to sell them on ebay or something. My Play 5 is working perfectly fine which i expect after spending $400 on a speaker. its not cheap and pulling out support is such a nasty move. I even recently bought the new Sonos Move. Makes me angry now since it’s outside the return policy.

S

scootdogg1987

Lyricist I

I currently use a Vinyl player with my Sonos equipment, which consists of a Sonos Connect, Sonos Bridge, Playbar with two Play 1s as surround sound a Play 5 (1st gen) along with another Play 1 in another room. I have had an email saying my Play 5, Connect and Bridge (the bridge was the original hardware I received to connect everything years ago) will no longer support updated software from May 2020 and apparently if any of my other speakers are connected with the older hardware none of those speakers i.e. my Playbar and Play 1s will be able to update software also. If I want to be able to have access to all the updated software and continue using my vinyl which is plugged in via the Sonos Connect what hardware do I need to update this, I cannot use a new Play 5 as my current Play 5 is in another room and I do not need another speaker in the room the vinyl is setup with, so how do I connect my Vinyl player without another speaker? Also if the bridge is no longer used, how do I update this hardware, how does everything connect if I take this out?

Any help or ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

V

virtualPaul

Lyricist III

Not a good way to treat customers that have a large investment in your products. And paid significantly for that. 30% is way too low. Unclear communication. I have 6 Play 5’s. Wow. This was once a trusted company. And suppose I upgrade. Next year, Sonos deprecates something else.

J

jeegnesh

Enthusiast I

@jeegnesh, I merged your post here to this main thread since we’ve got your answer posted in here already.

Thanks Ryan.

I am in agreement with others on here, I have a lot of Sonos products built up over time and the fact it has some older products in the chain will stop the current ones from getting updates is just plain bad.

I understand that new updates/features may not be available on legacy products, but that should not stop them working they should be made backward compatible in that there current functions continues but new features only available on current line. Just like play5gen2 supporting airplay but gen1 does not.

I love my Sonos and have for years, but this one needs a serious rethink, to be fair you’ve never put a foot wrong and support as been top notch, the products excellent thus far.

Hoping you rethink this and come up with a better solution.

D

dan_80

Contributor I

This is infuriating. I have a significant investment in SONOS products, nearly 20 components, and now several of them will be unusable if I update my system. How many more will age out next year or the year after? By making this move SONOS, you are telling me to stop investing in your product line...

K

KT42

Lyricist I

Just received the same e-mail and have the same response. Sonos may think they are “legacy” but I have 5 Sonos products all bought within the last 5 years that are now.

No longer supported
As a result resale value zero
Effectively been told to put them in the trash and buy new for which they will “generously provide a 30% discount” (so they still probably make a 25-40% margin)
Were the mostly up-to date product Sonos supplied at the time of purchase

The last thing I want in my house is a speaker system that allows Amazon/google etc to spy on me.

I’ve been constantly recommending Sonos to friends/colleagues. Never again

S

SGLYDDON

Lyricist I

So, I now have 9 devices that you want me to upgrade? I used to tell all who would listen what a great company Sonos was. I feel personally betrayed and stupid. Thanks for the 30% offer, but it seems I don’t have the extra $5,000 to $6,000 for the privilege of staying current.

You guys should come up with a better way of dealing with the tech challenges so as to not screw over your loyal customer base.

M

mushroomhunter

Avid Contributor I

This policy is outrageous! I have 3 older amps, and 1 older connect, and 9 newer components.

I’m not going to spend $2000 to get updates for my newer components!

keep the old ones running somehow even if they don’t get newer features or I will never again be a Sonos customer!!!

Your threat that unless I upgrade the newer stuff will also eventually quit working is even more outrageous!!!

Outraged!

A

augustwest

Enthusiast II

Just received notification that my perfectly good gen 1 Sonos 5 (2 of them) will not be receiving update support etc.

I do not recollect any statement by your company that there would be time limited support for my very expensive purchase. Totally pissed off by your company especially as the 30% discount on new hardware is irrelevant. My speakers work perfectly, they provide exactly what I need, the quality is superb and you are suggesting that, over time, they will be worthless, not because they do not function properly but because your company will not provide the necessary support.

How can this be legal?

If and when they do fail I personally promise that I will NOT replace them with any type of Sonos product.

You have let your most important customers down. The early adopters gave your company the chance to flourish but right now I hope this policy of imposing obsolescence destroys it.

14 of my units are now legacy. Mostly Connect’s and Connect Amps. Replacing them would be a financial burden considering they were purchases over a long period of time. Thanks SONOS. /s

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