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Ryan S
Ryan S
Retired Sonos Staff
August 20, 2019

'On this iPhone or iPad' No Longer Available

Related content:Software
Starting today, the ‘On this iPhone or iPad’ feature will no longer be available in the Sonos app. There are still many ways to play your locally saved music library to Sonos and control it from your iOS device, including some good free options.

We first launched ‘On this iPhone or iPad’ in 2012 as an option to play locally saved content from your iOS device before Apple AirPlay was available on Sonos. The way this feature was originally designed has become unreliable with newer versions of iOS and Sonos.

The best way to play the music stored on your phone to Sonos is now by using Apple AirPlay 2 on compatible Sonos speakers (Sonos One, Amp, Beam, Play:5 (Gen 2), Playbase, and SYMFONISK WiFi Speakers). Using AirPlay 2, you can send the audio to one of these products and use the Sonos app to group it with any other Sonos rooms to have them all playing in sync. You can find more information about using AirPlay 2 with Sonos here.

For people who don’t have AirPlay 2 capable Sonos products, additional options to play tracks that are stored on your phone to Sonos include:
  1. Uploading your tracks to a music service with a storage feature, such as Apple Music or Google Play Music. These services will store your library and allow you to stream it anywhere. This is a great option if you have songs that aren’t available on a subscription based streaming service. Also, Google Play Music has a free account option that allows you to upload 50,000 tracks and play them which works with Sonos.
  2. Setting up a Music Library share on a Computer or Network Attached Storage drive. You’d need to have the computer or local drive available when you want to play music, but your library would be easy to transfer to these devices, if it isn’t already on them.
  3. Streaming the catalog from a music service. There are more than 100 music services available on Sonos, many with several millions of songs.
  4. Android mobile devices will continue to have access to the ‘On this device’ feature. If you have an Android phone or tablet, ‘Playing music stored on your Android device’ to Sonos is a great option.
  5. If you have a Sonos Play:5, Connect, Connect:Amp, or Amp, you'll have a Sonos player with a Line-In connection. Using that Line-In, you can play music directly from any device connected to it, to any player around the house. You could even look into connecting a Bluetooth or AirPlay receiving device to that line in to use your mobile device without needing to wire it in to the line-in. See more about 'Using the Line-In on Sonos' here.
With the first three options, your phone doesn’t need to be turned on to listen to your music, and the music will keep on playing even if your phone is off or leaves the house. There are also alarm and Sonos playlist features that are available for most music sources that aren't available from 'On this iPhone'.

More about how to ‘Play music stored on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch’ is on our support pages.

We'll continue to support everyone through this change, and will help them set up the necessary workarounds to keep listening to their favorite tracks on Sonos.
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      353 replies

      MCB
      Lyricist III
      August 21, 2019
      Here's what's true. I purchase a Play:1 with the sole/only intention of use to stream music through my phone. Sonos advertised that I could do so without any notice that they may remove this essential functionality from their Play:1 product. If all went well, I would probably add Sonos products to my whole house. Things have not gone well. As of today, I can no longer use my Play:1 for the sole purchase for which I purchased it. Sonos no longer allows you to stream your own music. Airplay 2 won't work with Play:1. All of the streaming options would require that I pay money for a service I don't want just to stream my own music - I own a significant amount of music. Lastly, I only have a laptop which I don't won't to keep open and active 24/7 just so I can stream music through my Play:1 through my computer. Either Sonos is going to refund my $150 or I'm going to sue them. You don't just remove essential functionality from a product and replace it with only options that cost more money or are inconvenient. That's how you get a class action filed against you. I can't think of a dumber consumer product decision in recent years than what Sonos has done today. I may just sue Sonos myself but I'm talking to a couple friends who are class action lawyers. This is a pretty straightforward consumer fraud action by Sonos. If Sonos was smart, they would start offering full refunds now to get ahead of potential litigation which is time consuming, costly and will negatively impact their stock price. Or...!!! Sonos could just come up with a workaround to allow their customers the common sense ability to stream their own music in a manner that does not cost additional money and is not inconvenient.
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        jgatie
        jgatie
        August 21, 2019
        Sonos no longer allows you to stream your own music.


        100% False

        All of the streaming options would require that I pay money for a service I don't want just to stream my own music


        100% False

        Either Sonos is going to refund my $150 or I'm going to sue them.


        If the above statements are included in your affidavit, good luck!
        Translate
          andrewmk
          Renowned Enthusiast II
          August 21, 2019
          Jeez, this is getting so boring.

          Amazing how many people bought such a versatile piece of kit with the ‘sole / only’ purpose of doing just one and only one thing it. No other things, like ever. No, just that one thing.

          Glad when this is all over.

          Andrew
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            jgatie
            jgatie
            August 21, 2019
            Jeez, this is getting so boring.

            Amazing how many people bought such a versatile piece of kit with the ‘sole / only’ purpose of doing just one and only one thing it. No other things, like ever. No, just that one thing.

            Glad when this is all over.

            Andrew

            There actually doesn't appear to be that many. The ball dropped yesterday and the response here has been barely a blip. Honestly, I expected more - not CR100 more, but certainly more than a couple posts.
            Translate
              NeilUK78
              Contributor I
              August 21, 2019
              What a disappointment, Sonos - we purchased expecting better at this premium price point and your company has failed us as consumers of your products/services. I have been discussing this issue with a friend looking at my system, who was interested in purchasing. We spoke about this issue and the workarounds you suggested. He will not be purchasing Sonos going forward. Not just because of the actual loss of functionality, but he has lost confidence in your company and it’s ability to deliver continuation of service in the long term. Sad.
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                106rallye
                106rallye
                August 22, 2019
                When purchasing new Sonos devices you do not have to be bothered by the removal of this feature: just buy Airplay 2 capable Sonos devices. And if your friend is an Android user he would have no problem at all.
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                NeilUK78
                Contributor I
                August 22, 2019
                When purchasing new Sonos devices you do not have to be bothered by the removal of this feature: just buy Airplay 2 capable Sonos devices. And if your friend is an Android user he would have no problem at all.

                Thanks and ‘yes’ newer devices may provide a better system, however, like me, he did not want the voice-activated features, not the additional cost they bring. More crucially, he was put off by Sonos’ approach of ‘dropping’ supported services (as in, he could buy, then find other features are dropped in the future, which would’ve been key to him).

                I will, undoubtedly end up with an Apple Music Sub - something I wanted to avoid - and the whole thing leaves a bitter taste and taints enjoyment of the system.
                Translate
                  nik9669a
                  Senior Virtuoso
                  August 22, 2019
                  I will, undoubtedly end up with an Apple Music Sub - something I wanted to avoid - and the whole thing leaves a bitter taste and taints enjoyment of the system.


                  That makes sense: Apple have never made any old kit obsolete.
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                    stollen
                    Lyricist III
                    August 22, 2019
                    So the “play from phone” functionality will still work on Android devices, just not Apple devices. If this makes people upset they might want to think about who to be upset with. Why would Sonos remove the functionality from one type of device and not the other might be the question to ask to yourself to decide who to direct anger towards.
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                      chicks
                      chicks
                      August 22, 2019
                      So the “play from phone” functionality will still work on Android devices, just not Apple devices. If this makes people upset they might want to think about who to be upset with. Why would Sonos remove the functionality from one type of device and not the other might be the question to ask to yourself to decide who to direct anger towards.

                      Stop making sense, lol.
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