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 The information contained in this thread is outdated and may no longer be accurate.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

C

CrossInOz

“..because Sonos is a system, all products operate on the same software. If modern products remain connected to legacy products after May, they also will not receive software updates and new features.”

The more I mull over this the worse it gets. I buy a new Sonos product, with the promise of upgrades, new features as part of the price premium. The person in the store promises me this, the Sonos website promises me this.

But because I have a legacy product on my system, this will not happen: - no bug releases/fixes within warranty period, no new features to work as advertised during warranty period. The product will not work as advertised (or they have to advertise that the promise does not apply if you own an older product).

Australian consumer law states (see below from ACCC) with remedies to be addressed by retailer including replacement, compensation for loss and damages etc… independent of any retailer and manufacturer warranty. The retailer cannot refuse to help you.

This is a minefield waiting to happen for retailers, and importers in particular countries.

Send me a smart lawyer please…

------

Products must be of acceptable quality, that is:

safe, lasting, with no faults
look acceptable
do all the things someone would normally expect them to do.

Acceptable quality takes into account what would normally be expected for the type of product and cost.

Products must:

match descriptions made by the salesperson, on packaging and labels, and in promotions or advertising
match any demonstration model or sample you asked for
be fit for the purpose the business told you it would be fit for and for any purpose that you made known to the business before purchasing
come with full title and ownership
not carry any hidden debts or extra charges
come with undisturbed possession, so no one has a right to take the goods away or prevent you from using them
meet any extra promises made about performance, condition and quality, such as life time guarantees and money back offers

S

spoljans

Lyricist III

“..because Sonos is a system, all products operate on the same software. If modern products remain connected to legacy products after May, they also will not receive software updates and new features.”

The more I mull over this the worse it gets. I buy a new Sonos product, with the promise of upgrades, new features as part of the price premium. The person in the store promises me this, the Sonos website promises me this.

But because I have a legacy product on my system, this will not happen: - no bug releases/fixes within warranty period, no new features to work as advertised during warranty period. The product will not work as advertised (or they have to advertise that the promise does not apply if you own an older product).

Australian consumer law states (see below from ACCC) with remedies to be addressed by retailer including replacement, compensation for loss and damages etc… independent of any retailer and manufacturer warranty. The retailer cannot refuse to help you.

This is a minefield waiting to happen for retailers, and importers in particular countries.

Send me a smart lawyer please…

------

Products must be of acceptable quality, that is:

safe, lasting, with no faults
look acceptable
do all the things someone would normally expect them to do.

Acceptable quality takes into account what would normally be expected for the type of product and cost.

Products must:

match descriptions made by the salesperson, on packaging and labels, and in promotions or advertising
match any demonstration model or sample you asked for
be fit for the purpose the business told you it would be fit for and for any purpose that you made known to the business before purchasing
come with full title and ownership
not carry any hidden debts or extra charges
come with undisturbed possession, so no one has a right to take the goods away or prevent you from using them
meet any extra promises made about performance, condition and quality, such as life time guarantees and money back offers

Interesting…

”come with undisturbed possession so no one has the right to take the goods away or prevent you from using them.”

C

CrossInOz

Sonos "How it started"

Great story.

I fear it will not be as good match how it ended.

B

brentf

Lyricist I

Very disappointing. This is a very poorly thought through decision. I have 11 Sonos speakers and I enjoy them very much, but if I have to re-purchase working speakers just to stay on support I will certainly not be purchasing Sonos speakers. Way to kill your brand Sonos. Bravo… Slow clap....

S

spiker31

I’m super pissed at Sonos, it is poor form to make such a critical decision and announce it in this manner. Like most on here I am skeptical that this is just about creating new sales revenue. I’m not buying Sonos again. I’ll just let my ‘legacy’ products die a slow death and while they do that I’ll investigate replacement products that do not require proprietry software for core functionality.

K

Kumar

I am going to research something open source and stick to dumb speakers. It may be the inferior option but at least I won’t be throwing away any money. After this I can’t trust large sums of cash on any “smart” products, they crossed a line here that changes everything.

It is a lot simpler than the open source thing; get a Echo Dot for about 30 USD or less, and wire it to well made active speakers that have a good service back up that can deliver service life in decades. These “dumb” speakers need nothing more than that. Smart speakers of any other make will have the same issues that Sonos has surfaced.

And this is by no means an inferior option.

A

agd2

Trending Lyricist I

The products/technology being sunset are/is over 10 years old, regardless of when purchased and first put into service....

It was bound to happen as technology does obsolete over time, and the support requirements to support would hurt Sonos’ ability to innovate. Windows 98 is also long gone.

That said the trade-in should offer greater discount for items more recently put into service. 30% is just meh if you bought in within the past 2 years... I traded 3 connect:amps and a connect earlier this year because I knew it was only a matter of time once the new versions were released. The 30% helped, but I decided the ecosystem was well worth eating the rest. that is me.

(I took another old Connect I had and traded it for 100% purchase credit at PS Audio, which is an amazing trade in plan!!.)

Still love Sonos!! It rocks on my PS amps..

C

Charles Avalos

Contributor I

Does anyone else feel angry, upset and betrayed by Sonos for not continuing support for the products that we paid very good money for all these years? The 30% discount doesn’t even cover the increase in cost for the new zone players. It sounds very likely that they plan to just pull the plug on music services for our “Legacy” products. I’ve gone from being a die hard supporter to one who can’t wait to see what the competition has to offer. How can Sonos do this to us? If anyone hears of a class action lawsuit regarding this issue please let me know. They can’t get away with this! They should fire the CEO for this business decision.

R

rhett7660

Enthusiast I

The products/technology being sunset are/is over 10 years old, regardless of when purchased and first put into service....

It was bound to happen as technology does obsolete over time, and the support requirements to support would hurt Sonos’ ability to innovate. Windows 98 is also long gone.

That said the trade-in should offer greater discount for items more recently put into service. 30% is just meh if you bought in within the past 2 years... I traded 3 connect:amps and a connect earlier this year because I knew it was only a matter of time once the new versions were released. The 30% helped, but I decided the echo system was well worth eating the rest. that is me.

(I took another old Connect I had and traded it for 100% purchase credit at PS Audio, which is an amazing trade in plan!!.)

Still love Sonos!! It rocks on my PS amps..

Echo system?

W

woodborough

Lyricist I

I feel this legacy issue advised by a poorly worded email of download support being progressively withdrawn from this May is so wrong on many levels.If this is correct i will not purchase or recommend another Sonos product and to then offer a pathetic trade in as a consumer offset is a poorly veiled product marketing campaign would be well below cost and should be for the original purchase value or swap for new product .I would encourage ( as i will) to contact your local state consumer bureau and determine your rights of proper recourse and determine if Sonos can act this way .Hopefully volume of feedback will make Sonos think that as a technology platform provider that there are other solutions to bridge the changes.otherwise what type of so called leading technology company is behind this group. Very disatisfied consumer

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