Everybody's experience and opinion is valid for them.
I'll say it again --- Everybody's experience and opinion is valid for them.
If someone doesn't like the app -- for whatever reason, whether they have provided valid, well reasoned arguments or maybe they just want to let off steam -- their experience, for them, is valid. That's not to say they won't get used to it, that they won't learn to adjust -- of course they will. But they have paid their money, they have an opinion and it is as valid as anyone else's.
But a handful of users on here who simply don't want them to be heard. There a few kinder souls on here like John B who will try and help out those who are struggling. Others just want to shout down any voices of dissent.
But stand back ----
Take a look at these forums. Take a look at recent reviews on the App Store and Google Play. It sounds like Sonos has simply got it wrong. I have decked out two houses with Sonos, not because I am ambivalent to their kit, but because I thought it was the best. But I am worried. We all should be worried -- there is so many competing products out there. But if things get better, it will be in large part because of all those people who took time out to complain, not because of those who tried to shout them out.
Andrew
Everybody's experience and opinion is valid for them.
I'll say it again --- Everybody's experience and opinion is valid for them.
If someone doesn't like the app -- for whatever reason, whether they have provided valid, well reasoned arguments or maybe they just want to let off steam -- their experience, for them, is valid. That's not to say they won't get used to it, that they won't learn to adjust -- of course they will. But they have paid their money, they have an opinion and it is as valid as anyone else's.
But a handful of users on here who simply don't want them to be heard. There a few kinder souls on here like John B who will try and help out those who are struggling. Others just want to shout down any voices of dissent.
But stand back ----
Take a look at these forums. Take a look at recent reviews on the App Store and Google Play. It sounds like Sonos has simply got it wrong. I have decked out two houses with Sonos, not because I am ambivalent to their kit, but because I thought it was the best. But I am worried. We all should be worried -- there is so many competing products out there. But if things get better, it will be in large part because of all those people who took time out to complain, not because of those who tried to shout them out.
Andrew
That's eloquently stated. I generally like the new app, but I appreciate there are clearly folks who've struggled with it and their struggles are real.
The issue on this topic, on this forum, has been with the extreme hyperbole: folks reacting as if Sonos had committed genocide, rather than merely released an app update that was not to their taste.
Thanks to the last two posters. I know it's not the end of the world but I get riled up when others do not have the social skills to understand that just because they are fine doesn't mean everyone else is. Too many years on the Internet.
(And have just gone through this with Hulu, their new app is atrocious on the Roku)
And I'm mostly disappointed with Sonos. Not liking their attitude towards their customers these days. Overall, I love their sound and have for nine years. And I don't want to have to change that. Because some of us apparently don't like change. ;)
Steve
The issue on this topic, on this forum, has been with the extreme hyperbole: folks reacting as if Sonos had committed genocide, rather than merely released an app update that was not to their taste.
This takes the cake for extreme hyperbole.
The issue on this topic, on this forum, has been with the extreme hyperbole: folks reacting as if Sonos had committed genocide, rather than merely released an app update that was not to their taste.
This takes the cake for extreme hyperbole.
I guess you haven't been reading the same forum as me.
I know it's not the end of the world but I get riled up when others do not have the social skills to understand that just because they are fine doesn't mean everyone else is. Too many years on the Internet.
Amen!
The new Android app is dreadful. It now takes more clicks to get to my music. Why have you changed something that worked and was reasonably intuitive to something that is so bad. Messing around with software that worked is a great way to lose customers !!!
I may be in my 50s, but my two daughters are digital natives of 15 and 19 years. They live on their phones and know a thing or 2 about usability - and after this passage of time, with all their use of the new Sonos app; they both still hate it for the extra time that it takes to do anything, and they way it lights up the room because of the white background.
The latest app upgrade is a disaster. I can’t control any room easily at all. Please fix it right away!
I don’t care for the new UI. How are you supposed to switch rooms? I have to load a second room then dump the first one. And, that doesn’t always work.
How do you delete the ply queue?
I realize someone put in a lot of work here but it needs to bake some more.
[quote=pwt]Everybody's experience and opinion is valid for them.
I'll say it again --- Everybody's experience and opinion is valid for them.
[deleted text]
The issue on this topic, on this forum, has been with the extreme hyperbole: folks reacting as if Sonos had committed genocide, rather than merely released an app update that was not to their taste.
===============================================
Here is my take. (and i replied when the app was updated)
Yes everyone has different tastes. However IMHO that is not the main issue here. The main issue is that MAJOR changes were made to several areas that ABSOLUTELY change the way the user interacts with the app and there has been no clear reasoning as to why these changes had to occur.
1 switching the background color - and NOT offering a choice between dark and white.
this is a physical change that many users (myself included) find HARMFUL to their eyes. if you read the complaints about this change, 99% of them are about the PHYSICAL issue.
why create a change that HURTS your users? and when so many write in and complain ... as so many have .. why does SONOS continue to ignore these responses? it can not be hard to offer two background colors (really - other apps do it)
2 the changes in the "menu options"
well this one is a no win situation - i say if it aint broke dont fix it... i loved the original app - many dont mind the changes, many do mind. it seems to me someone wanted to 'jazz the app' up and so they played around with the menus and formatting - and again many complained. (yes i know they have changed the stations icon size but not the rest of the menu changes)
Who buys SONOS? we do
Who uses SONOS? we do
Why alienate the people who purchase your products and ultimately pay your salaries?
I understand wanting to make progressive changes to an app - but honestly not ONE change that was made to the app is an upgrade of a feature or an additional feature - so again WHY CHANGE IT?
I have a long career in customer support in many industries from retail to legal to software... the CUSTOMER is always right even when he is wrong. its the PERCEPTION by the customer that is the most important part of a customer / vendor relationship ---- if you CARE about your customer and whether he will remain a customer. (And you can educate / train your customer to accept changes - its all in how things are done and then the way the company reacts to the customers)
I think most people are upset because of the randomness of the changes and have yet to hear any reason as to why (the background as the most glaring) they were made when the previous app worked fine.
I’m a reasonable guy. I’m not going to ditch Sonos because of the latest crappy version of the app. Just like I’m not going to pretend that Sonos is the pinnacle of audio quality. I have better gear for “serious” listening. But, for the love of God, when I want my Sonos to do its thing—provide simple access to acceptable audio quality when I don’t need to delve into the intricacies of music or when I want to move around the house—I don’t want to fight with a third-rate app. Sonos should be about ease of use for multi-room audio, not about the mysteries of an app that has gone from decent to a textbook example of how to not keep customers satisfied. The longer I use it, the more I despise it. In a nutshell, as I and many others keep saying, this is because it is in no way intuitive. And it is too BRIGHT. It’s like the app shouts at me every time I look at it.
I don’t care for the new UI. How are you supposed to switch rooms? I have to load a second room then dump the first one. And, that doesn’t always work.
How do you delete the ply queue?
I realize someone put in a lot of work here but it needs to bake some more.
You will need to put some work in and look at the screen. What does the tab Rooms do? What does the room shown at the bottom on the screen do?
I may be in my 50s, but my two daughters are digital natives of 15 and 19 years. They live on their phones and know a thing or 2 about usability - and after this passage of time, with all their use of the new Sonos app; they both still hate it for the extra time that it takes to do anything, and they way it lights up the room because of the white background.
Teenagers. Don’t like the way it lights up the room? Lights up the room? Like Facebook? Whatsapp? And...too many to mention apps.
[quote=southern gal]Everybody's experience and opinion is valid for them.
I'll say it again --- Everybody's experience and opinion is valid for them.
[deleted text]
The issue on this topic, on this forum, has been with the extreme hyperbole: folks reacting as if Sonos had committed genocide, rather than merely released an app update that was not to their taste.
===============================================
Here is my take. (and i replied when the app was updated)
Yes everyone has different tastes. However IMHO that is not the main issue here. The main issue is that MAJOR changes were made to several areas that ABSOLUTELY change the way the user interacts with the app and there has been no clear reasoning as to why these changes had to occur.
1 switching the background color - and NOT offering a choice between dark and white.
this is a physical change that many users (myself included) find HARMFUL to their eyes. if you read the complaints about this change, 99% of them are about the PHYSICAL issue.
why create a change that HURTS your users? and when so many write in and complain ... as so many have .. why does SONOS continue to ignore these responses? it can not be hard to offer two background colors (really - other apps do it)
2 the changes in the "menu options"
well this one is a no win situation - i say if it aint broke dont fix it... i loved the original app - many dont mind the changes, many do mind. it seems to me someone wanted to 'jazz the app' up and so they played around with the menus and formatting - and again many complained. (yes i know they have changed the stations icon size but not the rest of the menu changes)
Who buys SONOS? we do
Who uses SONOS? we do
Why alienate the people who purchase your products and ultimately pay your salaries?
I understand wanting to make progressive changes to an app - but honestly not ONE change that was made to the app is an upgrade of a feature or an additional feature - so again WHY CHANGE IT?
I have a long career in customer support in many industries from retail to legal to software... the CUSTOMER is always right even when he is wrong. its the PERCEPTION by the customer that is the most important part of a customer / vendor relationship ---- if you CARE about your customer and whether he will remain a customer. (And you can educate / train your customer to accept changes - its all in how things are done and then the way the company reacts to the customers)
I think most people are upset because of the randomness of the changes and have yet to hear any reason as to why (the background as the most glaring) they were made when the previous app worked fine.
A nice post.
Most people is a bit strong. I don’t hate it. I like the logical implementation of different tabs making it far more intuitive to use. I think it can be improved: a lot.
The white screen? Well, I don’t know. There are things I look at in the dark that have a white screen yet everyone is most pleased and happy about that e.g. email, messages and the list goes on.
But what is missing from virtually all this is how to improve it. What is wrong. What is right. And why. Without constructive feedback about changes nothing will happen. Constant reasonless complaint ain’t gonna change a darn thing.
Sonos has been caught on the hop with plans overrunning - release a spanking new speaker with voice control that uses a beta, yes BETA, skill! All a bit of a rush.
Meanwhile, back in the real world, I still listen to my music etc just as before. The app is easy to use, especially if you look at all the screens and find out what hapoens on them...it grows on you quite quickly. I don’t use my TV’s smart remote thingy because I can’t be bothered to learn how to use it as the TV came with a convential remote too. At some point I will have to use a smart remote. It’s different. Is it rubbish. Should TV manufacturers be derided. Damn imposition being forced to adapt to change.
I strongly advise those who really hate the new app (for reasons only known to themselves) to NEVER buy a new TV. You will absolutely hate it. Or an oven, or a refrigerator, or washing machine and at all costs avoid cars and trucks. Your head will explode.
“I strongly advise those who really hate the new app (for reasons only known to themselves) to NEVER buy a new TV. You will absolutely hate it.”
Most of the people complaining here didn’t buy anything new. They were forced to use an app they don’t like with something they already had. Actually, I buy a lot of TVs. I generally stick to Samsung because the remotes and menu systems are similar, so I’m not confronted with a steep learning curve each time. Mostly I buy them because I like them. Then, a year ago, I bought a Vizio that was controlled by an included tablet. Most people didn’t like that idea. (Athough I thought it was cool.) So what did Vizio do? Stopped selling TVs with tablets, changed the operating system, and sent everyone with an older version a new, free remote so they could dumb down their overly smart TV and stop using the tablet. Lesson learned.
Love the new alarm features but if we could get a alarm duration in the seconds I would appreciate it. It's easy for the programmers to add and will allow us to have an alarm that plays for a few seconds in the warehouse (Sonos Connect) when it's breaktime or lunch time. Can you hear the yabba dabba doo now!
Ok, I have given this new interface almost a month of use, trying to get used to it. But, I have to say this is a severe degradation in the usability of the interface from the previous version. It has lost most of the intuitive interface, and continues to make me search for what I have to do. I was extremely happy with the previous version, bring it back. My wife is a technophobe, and could navigate the old version. Now she comes to me every day. How do I put the music on in the bathroom? How do I change to SiruisXM in the living room. I can do it, and I can explain it - but it is not intuitive like it used to be. I bought this to make my wifes life (and therefore my own) easier. We have recommended Sonos to many people in the past. That has stopped - I can no longer recommend it as easy to use.
It seems like most people like the new Android app, but I find it really frustrating. The bottom ribbon where most of the controls are often does not appear making it difficult to, for example, select different music for different zones. In fact, I never did figure out how to do this, and eventually just gave up and used the desktop controller. Apps ought to be intuitive especially for basic functions. This one isn't, at least for me.
Michael
It seems like most people like the new Android app, but I find it really frustrating. The bottom ribbon where most of the controls are often does not appear making it difficult to, for example, select different music for different zones. In fact, I never did figure out how to do this, and eventually just gave up and used the desktop controller. Apps ought to be intuitive especially for basic functions. This one isn't, at least for me.
Michael
Very simple, just touch the bar at top center or swipe down, and the controls are there. It's one of the most intuitively simple UIs I've used in a good while...
It seems like most people like the new Android app....
Michael
Er, have you read the reviews since the update?
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sonos.acr#details-reviews
Most people give it 1 star (presumably because there is no 0).
The new app is much less user friendly that the previous iteration. After a month of use and trying to pin down why, I think it comes down to the multiple systems the app employs for navigation.
In some areas, you can click on an item to move further into that function. As an example, you can hit "browse" then "apple music" then "new" and keep going deeper and deeper "vertically." In other areas, like "rooms," you are basically prohibited from moving vertically and you are forced to move horizontally. You select a room or group, then you must move horizontally (search, browse, or my Sonos) to then move vertically through those menus.
If you select a room, it comes up in a card. From this card, you have no option to select music for that room/group or move horizontally. All you can do is group, pause/play, and adjust the volume. Perplexingly, you must swipe down to close that screen, then move horizontally to another area to play music in the room/group you selected. It's inconsistent with the rest of the app. Another glaring inconsistency is that you can group on the "rooms" screen AND in card view, but you can only choose music when you are looking at the "rooms" screen (or elsewhere where the menu bar is present).
This is confusing, because instead of a unified logical progression through the app (i.e. select speaker/group, then select music), you have various competing systems. You have vertical and horizontal movement through icons as well as one seemingly random instance of a card interface with gesture-based movement.
The result is a system that is much less intuitive. You're not always quite sure which of the three systems to use to get to where you want to go.
Another big issue is that once more than a few rooms are grouped, this is annotated as “+1” or “+2” on the rooms screen. Here's a real-world example of this: “Living Room + Dining Room +1” and “Master Bathroom + Master Bedroom +1” showing on the rooms screen. If I want to play music in my office or garage, which should I choose?
The real-world effect of this app is that my fiancée and I listen to music less at home. We had an issue where she was trying to play music in the master bath and she unknowingly blasted music almost full volume in the living room. I tried to fix it, but basically just managed to blast my music in the bathroom, and we went back and forth until we just stopped the music. Since then, she won’t even use Sonos. She just plays music on her iPhone and leaves it on the counter while she does her makeup, despite the $380 worth of Sonos products in the master bath.
Sonos, I love your company. I’ve been a brand ambassador for you and sold friends and relatives on your products over Bose and others due to your company’s focus on simplicity and ease-of-use. Please focus on simplifying the user experience and making it at least as intuitive as it used to be.
“I strongly advise those who really hate the new app (for reasons only known to themselves) to NEVER buy a new TV. You will absolutely hate it.”
Most of the people complaining here didn’t buy anything new. They were forced to use an app they don’t like with something they already had.
Forced to use a remote they might not like. Same difference. Forced to use a completely different “SMART” set up. Forced to to rescan channels. Have to do this that and anything else. What happens. Silence. People just get on with it.
These changes are infrequent but that, according to the complaints on here, should present even greater hate.
People can whinge away, or people can try constructive feedback. Which one do you think will get things changed?
Hi, my sixth post here which I hoped I didn't have to be doing just after my first one. I would like to share my experience and hopefully other people may find some value in it.
From five years to some time ago: very happy Sonos user with three devices, buying a Connect, Play:5 (gen1) and Play:1 (Bluenote edition), leading to installing the Sonos system in our business as well. Then got disappointed with the introduction of the Sonos Account to the app (no explanation and no opt out), then got even more disappointed with the changed privacy regulations (no opt out) and finally got the bang of the new UI introduced in 8.0 app, which also introduced all kind of network issues in our business set-up which is being used by quite a number of people. This stopped my family from using the Sonos. In our business we need it, so it's different, but until today mistakes in rooms and playlists are daily leading to awkward and disruptive situations with our clients . The learning curve for the app is steep it seems.
Sounds familiar I think since I do read a lot comments along the same line here in the forum since the 8.0 update. To share the disappointment I opened an account to add my complaint to the list. Then frustration: no sign whatsoever about a roll-back or movement towards an UI that is based on 7.x. Instead I read responses from Sonos representatives that all feedback is forwarded to the dev team and asking for patience, "this is just the start of a new UI". That reads to me as arrogant and ignorant. We are beta audience, forced to ditch a excellent working app without warning and being enrolled in a beta program, that looks different, feels different and IS different.
Thankfully frustration also helps opening your eyes. I don't expect Sonos to take a different path. This must have been a well thought through decision, leaving me one option: look elsewhere, which I did.
So I looked around for an alternative multi-room set-up for our home which also could give me a small upgrade in functionality and sound. Based on reviews and talks with friends I decided to look further into the Bluesound offering. More expensive but hi-res and bluetooth possibility, and a dark UI environment. My family agreed to giving that a try. I consulted the Bluesound support crew asking for their future plans with the software sharing my experience with the Sonos decisions lately. Unfortunately no guarantees were given but I did get a statement that all changes in the app are developed in close loop with the customers and "audiophiles" somehow connected to the community. Being an "audiophile brand" might dampen some of the enthusiastic (but disruptive) plans of the software developer(s) and forcing a more conservative software development path.
I now have a Node 2 that replaces a Connect and a pulse flex replacing the Bluenote play:1. Why did this decision make such a big impact for me?
First, I could not be unhappy, even frustrated any more about my Sonos experience, since it was just "gone", at least in our home. And secondly because the Bluesound set-up surpassed my expectations. It is a Sonos alternative, but far more refined than I expected or was looking for. The goods after a three days use: Dark interface! OMG, how I missed such a simple thing when looking around through music at night at my iPad. Simpe navigation, basically swipe left or right gives you access to all functions or rooms and an extremely nice layout on the iPad. No account, not even an e-mail address required to set-up the system! Just plugin and go. Even without internet, I tried the bluetooth connection and the pulse flex is an excellent music box on the go (even accepts a USB drive with music). And for the node 2: OMG, that actually is in a complete different league sound wise than the connect, even when playing 192kHz radio stations, but that's a different story, we're talking software here. The bad after three days: software is a bit glitch y at times and sometime behaves unpredictable, and on a iPhone SE some screens become a bit too crowded with information. Searching on Deezer is a bit slower than on the Sonos, when adding a room to a stream the stream briefly pauses. I truly hope the Bluesound dev team is controlled by the users to not radically change the app layout, just tweak some functions and stability.
The Bluesound system is way over the top for our business needs. That just needs to be simple, I will continue my search for an alternative there. Or maybe Sonos can stay if the required login (when adding players) is abandoned and the UI will somehow become more intuitive shortly. The white interface has not been such an issue for our purpose.
Hopefully sharing this can make it more bearable for some people complaining. There is a life outside the Sonos eco-system, not just your family but also more than capable alternatives. It's not worth spending your valuable time banging on Sonos's door requesting a roll-back or whatever. As said by a lot, that's not going to happen. What will happen to the Sonos ecosystem, time will tell. But from now on I don't have to care that much anymore and just enjoy exploring music with family and friends.
And to the Sonos moderators here, I'm not advertising here, not related to Bluesound or just sold all my Sonos shares, my intention is to help people that are not so happy with the current direction of Sonos. By showing a path elsewhere is not that difficult. Unless you have so heavily invested in Sonos players that replacing them would introduce a whole new league of stress triggers. :)
In case I said something here that is in violation with the community/forum rules, please pinpoint them and I will change my words.
Cheers,
Sonos,
Another user here who has owned multiple Sonos products for many years who simply thinks you’ve got this one totally wrong.
The thing I loved about Sonos is ‘it just works’ and is extremely intuitive. The new app is simply awful. It is no longer intuitive and is rediculously slow!
I fully understand your need to modernise and keep the app fresh but you’ve really got this one wrong! It is so clunky and just not enjoyable to use.
Please give users the opportunity to downgrade to the previous version whilst you sort the glitches out. The app is such an important part of the Sonos experience and at the moment it is ruining the use of my system. (It’s that bad).
I sincerely hope you listen to your customer base on this one.
Thank you.
