WOW - just WOW. Thank you Sonos I was really struggling with what to do with so many new options that work better with Airplay on the market. Now I know I better start selling off all my SONOS because I’m sure next year my Playbar, Sub, and and Play 1s will be “Legacy” along with my Play5. I’ve always hated that damn app but now you’ve given me the push I needed to put end to my relationship with you guys. I can’t believe you clowns think this is the way to treat customers. Someday soon some Businessweek journalist will write and article about “How SONOS died” and this will be the day they point to. Congrats! You’ve made history!
Two 5 and a bridge in my garage, one 5 in my garden room and one bridge and amp in my living room. I almost bought two one, sub and playbar for my tv this Christmas but decided to wait a little bit. Now I’m happy I didn’t. If I should go for upgrade with 30% discount of all it will be expensive and all my brackets for amp, bridges and play 5 need to be also changed out… those are expensive as well. I’m really disappointed because I thought I had invested in a good system that would last for more than this. I think I will let it go as far it can and then look into other when time comes when it won’t work any more. Solution will be to by speakers with wire again and only use a amp with streaming possibilities, then at least I can still have my speakers and only need to upgrade amp or whatever streaming unit. I don’t through out money or things that working perfectly.
sorry SONOS!
I want to add my displeasure to the way this has been handled. I have been a loyal Sonos customer with a Beam, 2 Playbars, a playbase and multiple zp100’s and Connect AMPs. I recently moved and purchases a bunch of new Connect: Amp players 2 years ago. Now I find they are going to be outdated and need replaced for me to have full function from the rest of my system. I know nothing lasts for ever, and I have no complaints related to my 6-10 year old equipment. Not only can I only get 30% back on the old (2 years) equipment, they recently bumped the price on the replacements not allowing me to take advantage of the older price point. Now faced with the prospect of spending several thousand dollars on replacing 2 year old players I am thinking I will move on to a different technology and a different company.
Again, I am fine with the discounted price on 5+ year old items, but I paid the premium sonos prices because I want quality and durability. 30% off on 2 year old items that are sunset is completely unnaceptable!
Connect:Amps bought 2 years ago are not affected.
SONOS just screwed its long-time customers. I have 13 SONOS units. Today, SONOS sent an email announcing that 10 of the units will no longer get software updates as of May 2020. So, if any music service, MS Windows, or Apple makes a security change after May 2020 that the existing software doesn’t agree with, then my system will stop operating. The replacement cost of these 10 units is $4,650 and even with 30% offered for trade-ins, my outlay to keep my system operating will be $3,255. SONOS’s management should keep a software update track for “legacy” equipment in order for existing functionality to remain working.
If SONOS doesn't release some sort of positive news on this I am going to go on an absolute social media frenzy…
Already done it ...
+2 to the outrage outrage. Way too much money into my Sonos system (which is all less than 5 years old) to become obsolete. If it reaches a point where I have to spend thousands to upgrade my equipment just to continue to use its current functionality I certainly won't be buying new Sonos equipment... I'm very happy with what I have now and have no need for further "innovation" if it means bricking thousands of dollars worth of equipment. Please continue support of your products, even if it requires a "legacy" platform and app.
(+2 because my parents in the same boat..)
What about the Sub? It came out in 2012 so it seems like it’s right on the line. I am considering using my 30% off from my soon-to-be-bricked Connect:Amp to get a sub but I am concerned with its age.
Sub doesn’t do much, it just receives and plays a signal. So the memory requirements are paltry compared to a player which needs to store settings/index/playlists, access tracks, do voice control, etc.
Such crap - a Connect doesn’t need to do voice control either, and I’d be more happy if some things were disabled for it, and it alone - but holding the whole system to ransom is inexcusable.
So I am wondering how long it will be before my lovely Sonos system that I have collected over the years will be some nice looking junk!
Sonos sent me the here is the list of your system that will get no more updates. Oh, and by the way we are just going to leave them high and dry after an unnamed period.
So the era of clever speakers is over for me. It will be back to streaming through a computer and a set of speakers on amplifiers.
No way Ill ever buy a clever speaker or amp again. What a massive disappointment. I though the initial press coverage would have put Sonos off. I expect them to go bankrupt now quite quickly.
+2 to the outrage outrage. Way too much money into my Sonos system (which is all less than 5 years old) to become obsolete. If it reaches a point where I have to spend thousands to upgrade my equipment just to continue to use its current functionality I certainly won't be buying new Sonos equipment... I'm very happy with what I have now and have no need for further "innovation" if it means bricking thousands of dollars worth of equipment. Please continue support of your products, even if it requires a "legacy" platform and app.
(+2 because my parents in the same boat..)
Anything less than 5 years old should be fine.
And this is educational, I’ll have to be sure to understand next time how much of the “smarts” sits with the speaker and is subject to these kind of end of life decisions.
Yes, it is very educational and makes the case for split systems with cheap smart front ends that are throwaway, and “dumb” stereo set ups that have service lives of decades that can keep accepting a smarter front end every 3-4 years.
I actually have 13 SONOS units and got the same email today. 10 of the units will no longer get software updates as of May 2020. So, if any music service, MS Windows, or Apple makes a security change after May 2020 that the existing software doesn’t agree with, then my system will stop operating. The replacement cost of these 10 units is $4,650 and even with 30% offered for trade-ins, my outlay to keep my system operating will be $3,255. SONOS’s management should keep a software update track for “legacy” equipment in order for existing functionality to remain working.
Such crap - a Connect doesn’t need to do voice control either, and I’d be more happy if some things were disabled for it, and it alone - but holding the whole system to ransom is inexcusable.
As the OP said, you can opt for no more updates.
There should 10000% be a legacy mode to utilize the quality sound equipment with limited features, perhaps separate from the new stuff.
I bought for quality, whole-home sound system.
kind of dampens my mood about buying more components if j have to factor in bricking my
old ones or nerfing my new ones every once and awhile.
Best I’m aware, wifi, music encryption etc standards haven’t changed so dramatically as to render these obsolete, it’s just the management software and desire to upgrade features?
I’ve been with Sonos for 20 years now. I’ve purchased just about every product you’ve ever made from the beginning. Over $10,000 worth of your equipment and I’ve sold even more for you with recommendations. I’ve already thrown away the Controller 100, two Controller 200’s and 3 Bridges. Now you want me to “Upgrade” and give you more money. I’m finished. Bluesound here I come. It’s better anyway. It has High Resolution.
I’m really disappointed at Sonos! We “Legacy” users were early adopters of your Sonos system. Hell I even convinced at least five others do purchase also. I spent over $1000 on two S-5 speakers. Today I get an email from you saying they will no longer be supported AND, I’m welcome to purchase new speakers at a 30% discount. Well that’s really a double middle finger to your loyal supporters Sonos. Not onLy is the 30% discount a joke, but the fact that you also demand the older legacy units back as a trade is even more of a rip off. You should have taken care of your Legacy members better. There should be a deep discount. 30% is ridiculous. You should not ask for the legacy products back either. Why not allow us to gift to a family member or friend, or even donate to a charity, so at least can use a tax deduction to offset the initially painful $1000 cost I paid ten years ago for my S-5’s. Lastly, it’s pretty unnerving that you can’t find a way to support the legacy units. You basically are saying screw you to all current legacy owners. You’re pulling a windows 7 prank but you’re not Microsoft. It’s so upsetting. Sorry, we’re not going to support your models anymore because you bought them too long ago but hey, here, spend another $1000 and buy two new ones, but wait there’s more, if you send us your old speakers, we’ll save you $300, but too bad about the initial $1000 you spent because we won’t give you the discount unless you turn them in to us, and hey you’re gonna need to cough up another $700 plus tax to buy these new ones. So you will have given us almost $2000 on speakers. And hey, we’ll probably send you another email in five years telling you your new speakers are no good anymore also, so make sure to save another $1000 or more for future times when we want to really take advantage and not respect you again. But hey thanks for being an early adopter and getting us so popular, because now we can take advantage of thousands of other people also. Yey.
Sonos I am done with you! You can take my speakers and stuff em!
To be clear, the trade up program does required that you use the 30% discount to buy the same product type (example Port for a Connect), You also don’t need to make this decision in May, as I understand it.
Can you clarify - I thought the trade up program DID NOT require you to swap one product for its one equivalent but allowed you to take 30% off any other available unit?
After spending thousands of dollars on Sonos products over the years, my whole system will become useless in May???
Is this a joke? Is this a fake news attack by a rival company?
If you are stupid enough to think I will happily go out and just by more speakers that look the same but have a little different hardware inside them you are insane.
Oh, but I get 30% off all of the new speakers that look just the same. Oh, well that’s different then.
What kind of fools do you think we are? Speakers should last 30 years. WHy not just an electronic parts upgrade?
And what kind of environmental disaster is this? Seriously throwing perfectly functional speakers in the garbage? Oh, great.
Sonos, you HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING.
John
I am flabbergasted that Sonos would poop upon their most loyal customers like this.
I feel lucky that I’m only (so far) being warned of my Sonos Bridge and Connect as being legacy.
I upgraded’ the Bridge in June to a Boost as devices were dropping out after a software update was run. This was £79 wasted but my system was working again so I was happy.
The Connect, I bought in February 2015 which is less than 5 years old will be ‘legacy’ as of May.
As of now I will still be able to update my other speakers (2 x Play3 & 3x Play1) after May if I purchase a replacement for the Connect but I don’t want to.
I will no longer be recommending Sonos as a good easy option and will be ridding myself of what was the best solution to easy Hi-Fi ever.
My wife can actually work Sonos and we’ve been adding to the system over the years since our first Play3.
I don’t want Alexa and all that crap so will not buy anymore Sonos.
What are the idiots in charge now thinking?
Bye bye Sonos. You shouldn’t listen to Gerald Ratner for marketing advice.
I think this is outrageous.
I am an early adopter of your product and company - have seen it grow from a few home grown distributors to being in John Lewis/Dixons etc. I spent a lot of money on products and systems, have harped on for years to anyone who would listen to how good Sonos is and they duly purchased. Now, you are peanalising those who supported you in the early years. Thats truly disgraceful. There was no mention of you not supporting products when we purchased them. Shame on you Sonos.
I feel exactly the same. You are penalising your advocates and early movers. 30% Discount. Its a joke. Its the same rebate you offer on Black Friday to anyone!!
I bought my first ZP100 in 2005 and been growing my system ever since. I appreciate that the world moves on with increased data storage and capacity needs but you should do an exchange and then upgrade the older units and sell them as refurbished. Where does SONOS stand on sustainability? Sonos used to be different now you are just like everyone else and treating your supporters poorly. I can never recommend your first class service any longer.
10 years ago when my first ZP100 broke down you were great shiped a new one imediatly and i paid 25% of a new unit cost. That was service! Why did you change???
I am absolutely appalled by this announcement. I have two homes with Connects, as well as many newer “non-legacy” speakers in each. The fact that Sonos would deliberately engage in a strategy that will prevent me from updating my “modern“ gear, some of it purchased just two weeks ago, makes me regret my purchases. I have no intention of allowing Sonos to force me to replace some of my equipment if I want to keep the rest up to date. I understand the concept of obsolescence and the fact that older products can not be updated infinitely. I do not understand the concept of crippling all products in a chain because someone has been a loyal customer for many years. Add this to the recent shameful controversy of not recycling returned products and we have a company that doesn’t care about its loyal customers or the environment.
I’ve been using Sonos products for almost 10 years. Today’s announcement (if the company follows through with it) will ensure I don’t ever buy another product from you. As others have noted this nonsense about ‘memory and processing power’ is so see-through. Forcing us to recycle perfectly functioning hardware and spend a ton on new stuff (for folks like me who have multiple systems) is a great way to piss off your customers. Customers like me, who have evangelized your product to many of our friends and have helped your company grow. Sonos is not (nearly) the only game in town these days, so if you follow through with this plan I’ll continue to use my current gear until it stops working and then I’ll be buying one of your competitors systems.
To be clear, the trade up program does required that you use the 30% discount to buy the same product type (example Port for a Connect), You also don’t need to make this decision in May, as I understand it.
Can you clarify - I thought the trade up program DID NOT require you to swap one product for its one equivalent but allowed you to take 30% off any other available unit?
Correct, 30% applies to any product and some bundles.
Such crap - a Connect doesn’t need to do voice control either, and I’d be more happy if some things were disabled for it, and it alone - but holding the whole system to ransom is inexcusable.
As the OP said, you can opt for no more updates.
That is not a reasonable option given their threat the newer products would eventually quit working w/o regular updates! And why in Hades are you defending them like this is no big deal???
I was thinking about buying new 5s and maybe a sound bar.
Not a cat in hell's chance now.
