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 The information contained in this thread is outdated and may no longer be accurate.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

CrossInOz

Last week I recycled my old amps and speakers. Bought nearly 40 years ago, still working. Sorry to see them go - but to a happy and grateful owner.

My Connect plays Spotify through a 30 year old hand-made built amp through a pair 20 year old speakers.

None of these older components owe me anything anymore. They have had their lifetime. But still work brilliantly.

But my Sonos gear is still “new” and now its being made legacy - sorry Sonos, but they still owe me a lifetime of use. Especially given the premium paid.

Something is seriously wrong with the Sonos “system” if all components need to be at the same software level? I get that new services can be added, but not supported by all components.

But graceful fallback is an engineering feature I am sure you are aware of.

I don’t know where Spotify, or My Library is integrated into the system - but surely not every component. At some point they are just processing music bit streams across the air and syncing time-stamps so they play in sync. This legacy function works fine for me and is all I need.

I now look at all my Sonos investments and now wonder when and how soon?

ianbroome

Lyricist II

Just logged into my acccount and went to “System:”. There is a banner at the top that reads:

“You have 31 legacy products that do not receive regular software updates and new features as of May 2020”

As I understand it I would have to upgrade every single one of them and if I don’t then nothing in the system can be updated? How realistic is it to expect that I’m going to upgrade 31 Sonos products before May?

I totally agree and have written my response following this.

Stuart_17

Enthusiast II

Sorry if this has been asked and answered:

I understand if I have a mixed system of legacy and modern, after the May update it will no longer receive updates and future features will not be supported. After the May update can I still add new products to my legacy/mixed system, like a Move? Would the Move software roll back to my May software?
If I have a legacy system after the May update can I add more legacy devices without issue?
If I have a mixed system after the May update can I split it into two separate systems, legacy and modern, or do I need to do that before the May update?
If I have a mixed system after the May update, can I remove a modern device and add it to a modern system without issue.
If I have separate modern and legacy systems in my home I assume they will use separate versions of the app. Will there be any conflict running two different app versions on the same mobile device?

All good questions and I suspect if Sonos had the answers to these today before blundering ahead with their ridiculous statement then it would helped (a little bit). But it still sucks what they are doing.

snpanago

Lyricist III

I've turned off Update Automatically on my controller. I don't trust Sonos at this point.

pveenhof

Lyricist II

I’m pissed. This is an insult to the customers who have supported Sonos over the years.
Here’s an email I’ve sent to the CEO, Chief Product Officer and COO. Feel free to re-use or send your own.

patrick.spence@sonos.com
nick.millington@sonos.com
david.perri@sonos.com

Dear Patrick, Nicholas, and David,

I've just received an email informing me that my Play5 Gen1 will no longer receive updates past May and as a result of your implementation, the rest of my more modern Sonos speakers will suffer the same fate because your development teams have been unable (or unwilling) to segregate the legacy speakers on the network.

To lessen the blow, you've offered a paltry 30% trade-in discount, yet last week you increased prices across your entire speaker line.

To say that I am apoplectic is an understatement.

I have been a supporter of Sonos for years, recommending them to my friends and family, resulting in many of them purchasing Sonos products.

In one fell swoop, you've made an ass out of me, given several of them also purchased the Play 5 Gen 1 since it allowed for inputs, and you've screwed over several thousand dollars worth of purchases since my more modern speakers will essentially be deprecated.

I work in technology. The claim that the devices cannot support the software anymore is a sham. You've made a calculated, cold, business decision to avoid developing a workaround that would allow loyal customers such as myself to continue to use "legacy" products into the future because it's easier and cheaper to lose some customers over this.

If you do not reverse this decision, treat your loyal, long term customers with the respect and appreciation they deserve, your cold, calculated business decision will result in your reputation being trashed and your sales will be directly affected. Sonos, once revered in the speaker community, will be regarded as a pariah. Your once-loyal customers will shout from the rooftops to warn everyone to never purchase your expensive speakers since the value that used to exist has officially evaporated if they need to be replaced every 5 years. I'd rather deploy a bunch of Google speakers around my house given the cost is so low, the sound is okay and if they pull the same stunt I won't be out of pocket hundreds.

I sincerely hope you reconsider this regrettable decision and work hard to restore the faith that loyal customers have believed in and shown you these many years.

Sincerely,

Matthew Kirkey

Thanks Matthew - very helpful. I just sent an e-mail as well. Strongly encourage other loyal (well, that might not be true for many of us) to do the same.

CalBear

Lyricist II

I’m in the same situation as everyone else here, but want to add another log on the fire. I’ll email the addresses just provided too. Thanks!

Like others, I feel completely betrayed after having spent so much money building a whole-house (indoors & outdoors) SONOS environment over the years and recently added a Move (without knowing they would take this bull$hit approach to their most loyal customers!) I’ve also recommended SONOS many times. Now I both regret it all, and will most certainly NEVER BUY OR RECOMMEND ANOTHER SONOS PRODUCT AGAIN! How can ANYONE buy a Sonos product, which is already an expensive system, knowing that at any moment, their perfectly fine purchases will become worthless and potentially useless. This isn’t like buying a cell phone that may get old - it’s a whole-house system that we were encouraged to “build over time.” Now we find out that we were being suckered into a trap!?!?

I certainly hope there is a class action lawsuit, especially if they don’t create a means for both legacy and current products to co-exist or at least maintain all current capabilities in perpetuity. Otherwise, there clearly is an undisclosed bait and switch here. For example, I definitely wouldn’t have bought more AMPS and a Move over the past couple years (to add to my eight other units) had this risk been disclosed.

Although I had seriously been considering adding to my system, I DEFINITELY WON’T BUY ANY MORE SONOS EVER AGAIN! Why they would choose an approach that hurts their MOST loyal customers and evangelists is beyond me. Their goal is obviously to try and juice revenue, but this will backfire because they've turned their best customers into strong haters!

amun

I've turned off Update Automatically on my controller. I don't trust Sonos at this point.

Make sure that you do it on all controllers - PC/Mac, android and iOS, as any one of them can trip you up.

darrenb5

Lyricist III

Just received what can only be described as an extortion email from a company from which I have purchased thousands $$$ and that I have convinced my friends to use. The email says if I want my system to keep working right I have to replace 3 products at a cost of about $1,000.00 (that’s AFTER the 30% trade-up discount). I would never buy another product from a company that does this to its customers. Shame on you, Sonos.

Keith9539

Lyricist I

I just received the terrible news that five units in my SONOS system are no longer to be supported. This gets me thinking that the other 10 units in my system bought shortly thereafter are to follow too. I am hoping for a SONOS change in direction and a continuation of support, or a “dumbed down” support path for legacy equipment. I am out for any more SONOS otherwise. Really disappointed in a 30% recycling credit to replace equipment that works perfectly today and I’m embarrassed that I recommended this product to friends and family over the years. What a let down.

Observer

I haven’t read the whole thread, but assume this may have already been posted?

Obviously not suggesting any link to the current announcement.

Sonos Product Manager sells some of his shares

Sonos - you really are shooting yourselves in the foot with this announcement and lack of legacy support. Suggesting that I can have a discount to spend well over £1000 on Sonos kit to keep it working as it does now (some of which is running through excellent hifi kit which is still manufacturer supported despite it being well over 30 years old) - really? You’ve got to be kidding guys.

The link looks pretty clear cut.

I doubt it. This was a scheduled trade, a common practice for executive insiders so that they can trade legally around SEC blackout dates.

https://www.nasdaq.com/market-activity/stocks/sono/insider-activity

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