Heads up: "Update Required" prompt in the Sonos app

Forcing updates is disrespectful and anti owner/consumer. I remember May 2024 and the insanely disruptive 12-18 months after. Reconsider this. 

Can you clarify what is meant by ‘required’?

It says “In order to use this system, you need to update it.”. Is that true?

Some are still waiting for functions to return that were taken away 2 years ago - even though some of those are discussed as feature requests.

I can't imagine a system where I'm less likely to enable Automatic Updates than Sonos.

Is this mandatory or can it be skipped with the system still operating?

Is this going to impact folks with old/unsupported Apps on no longer supported hardware/software?

Will this message appear only when the app is updated and the system isn’t, or will it appear regardless of app version?

I suppose this is envisioned as a way to reduce support calls.

Does this mean that systems being used at an offline location (boats, remote homes, etc.) will stop working? This also implies that system use tracking was installed some time ago. So that users can plan their response to this past development, which older version installed this tracking?

Since this tracking was installed sometime in the past, affected users are known to SONOS. I think that potentially affected users should individually be notified that their system will soon stop operating. Failure to do this will result in someone going to their remote system and discover that it has been disabled. 

Uh oh - I foresee a thread that generates the excitement / anger / division / incredulity / obstinance / irrational pre-emption / agitation that we saw after the May 2024 update. That’s quite some pin Sonos just pulled from their update grenade - delivered with an over-friendliness that I suspect was intended to quell the ire, but I can see the same faces running to their sheds for their pitchforks as we speak…

Is this a two-year anniversary attempt to stir up some forum action??

The 4/14/26 app/system update stated:

“Starting with version 84, the Sonos app will start requiring a minimum system software version to ensure your system is running at its best.”

Lots of questions about it at the time. No answers.

So here we are with an announcement that this will now be implemented. And still no information or details about this. Is this an example of how the new transparent Sonos will be operating?

What is all this fuss about? 

Apart from the fact it is Sonos doing it and they have a bit of recent history that is not so good. So do Apple but they seem to be acceptable…

Most software providers issue mandatory updates, especially when they have firm and soft updates that need to be kept aligned…

Pick your toys up, get back in your prams, and enjoy the ride 🤓

(and, 3...2...1..…GO!)

Apple does not issue mandatory updates that locks your phone until you update. Not do any software providers that I use. 
 

You are entitled to your opinion, but not your own facts. 

Sure thing. If a user has app updates enabled on their mobile device, but has had system (firmware) updates disabled for more than 6 months, then the system update is required so that the mobile device can continue to control the hardware.

It is only required for users who have an up-to-date mobile controller, but 6-month-of-older firmware on the players. It does not impact users of the S1 platform.

Yep, correct - only if the app is updated and the system isn’t. 

If the app hasn’t been updated and the system also hasn’t been updated, there will be no change. This only impacts users who have been updating the app, but the system hasn’t been updated in more than 6 months.

No changes specifically for using Sonos in an offline environment (Sonos on a boat), because presumably the app also hasn’t been updating. 

I think that might be a bad assumption. The app is on your phone and has been kept up to date. The remote system has not, and now the controller refuses to work because a system update is ”required”. 

In that scenario, you’re correct. If the mobile app has been updating and the system hasn’t for at least 6 months...regardless of whether it’s in a home, or on a boat, or out in the middle of the woods...the system update will be required. 

Online systems where firmware or software (app) haven't been updated for more than 6 months are OK though, yes?

I’d imagine so. In the same way an improved sewerage system would be of no consequence to you if you prefer to leave your toilet unflushed.

tl;dr - Yes.

Depends on what you mean by “OK though”, so I might describe it slightly differently:

If “automatic updates” within the Sonos app are disabled, and app updates are disabled on each controller that’s used with Sonos (so either the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store), no update is required. Obviously we believe you’re missing out on some valuable updates, and we’d encourage you to take advantage of those improvements...but the app won’t require a change.

If “automatic updates” within the Sonos app have been disabled for at least 6 months (prior to firmware versions 92.0/86.2), but automatic app updates are enabled in the relevant app store, then the new app will see the old firmware and you’ll get the “Update Required” screen shown above. 

If “automatic updates” within the Sonos app have been disabled for less than 6 months (meaning your system firmware is on 92.0/86.2 or higher), and automatic app updates are enabled in the relevant app store, then no update is required. But we’d still recommend it. 

That’s a long way of saying “yes”, but it assumes that you mean that automatic updates for the app store are also disabled.

Basically, nothing has changed, except the messaging, and the 6 month specifics.  Because in the past, if your system and apps got out of sync, you would lose setup functionality immediately, and would eventually (after ~3-4 releases) lose all functionality.  You just didn’t have the specific 6 month limit.

Moderator Note: Modified in accordance with the Community Code of Conduct.

I wouldn’t say nothing has changed. I can take my updated phone app to the cabin in the woods and still play local music on non-up-to-date system. With this change, that’s no longer the case. The app will refuse to play until the system is updated. It’s not the end of the world and I really don’t care. There are plenty of third party apps that will continue to work perfectly,

Edit to say... that’s a hypothetical. I don’t have a cabin in the woods and all my music playing sonos gear was downgraded to S1 last year. Everything works well and will continue to.

Actually, that scenario is no different than it used to be, except the length of time is specified.  Previously, if you had an up to date app and tried to use it with the outdated system firmware at your cabin, it would not work for most settings menus, and it would not work at all if it was out of date by 3-4 releases.  Now it won’t work after 6 months.  Same deal, except for the 3-4 releases vs. 6 months stipulation.  

If you don’t update the app, and use it with your cabin scenario, it would work before, and it will still work now. 

I don’t think I’ve ever attempted to use the sonos controller on firmware more than 1-2 versions from current. It just disabled the setup / configuration options. But music playback wasn’t affected. I assumed that would continue being the case. Thanks for the clarification.

This is correct. While I won’t say “nothing has changed”, I would say that is has changed back to the way it used to be...kinda.

It used to be the case that both the app and the firmware had to be completely up-to-date to be compatible with each other (or otherwise, both had to leave automatic updates off so they’re still on mutually compatible versions, even if they’re not fully up-to-date). That is the true “cabin in the woods scenario”, as described in the article I wrote, linked above:

All Sonos products and controllers need to be on the correct versions at all times for compatibility; if your mobile device continues to have an internet connection (via LTE or otherwise), you will need to turn off automatic app updates to prevent an accidental version mismatch

• The only way to recover from a version mismatch is to get all devices and controllers to the same supported version again; this will require an internet connection

In this case, you can be as far as 5+ months (but less than 6 months) out-of-date on the firmware, and it will still work with the newest app. That wasn’t how it worked previously, and I have no idea if this is how it will be moving forward. But for now, there’s some wiggle room between how current the app can be with respect to how current the firmware needs to be. 

So (if my understanding is correct) the latest release is actually more forgiving than before, in that the app/system can be up to 6 months out of sync and still have full functionality?  Whereas in the past, an app out of sync with the system firmware lost most of it’s setup functions, regardless of the time spent out of sync?  

More forgiving than before when? AFAICT they haven’t don’t anything like this (version requirement) in the past two years. 
 

???

It’s not really fair to compare a complex multi-room system to an iPhone or other standalone consumer electronics. I can’t imagine any multi-room manufacturer putting up with outdated software for long, especially when it comes with extra costs.