Is there a way for artists to submit music to your curators for consideration for programming on your stations?

1. I’ve read the announcement and kicked the tires, but I still don’t understand how this is fundamentally different from the existing TuneIn support. Anyone understand the difference?
2. Ryan said above the default encoding rate was 128 Kbps AAC. In 2020 this is crazy - it should have been 256. For example, hasn’t 256 AAC been the Apple Music default for over five years now? Sonos is supposed to be a premium experience!

Dave Ings

The reason you have to create these data gouging services (so you can sell your customers data) when we already have a perfectly adequate solution TuniIn) is because we’re not buying your hardware because of your terrible privacy policy.

i spent $3000 on Sonos 5 years ago (before any information was blackmailed from me) and was perfectly happy with the product. Over the years I would have doubled that investment but for your data collection habits. I now make it my cause to discourage anyone thinking of buying Sonos on account of the controversy around your privacy policy. So far I conservatively estimate I’ve ‘sold’ $5000 worth of Apple hardware in your place.

focus on making hardware and bin your data collection infrastructure and resources

I noticed for most stations here in the Netherlands, that they show TuneIn branded artwork on Sonos radio:

And show normal artwork when streamed on TuneIn:

So are the stations simply sourced from TuneIn? Will they eventually become “native”, streaming directly from the resource provided by the station itself?

Wonderful contribution. So TuneIn does not mine data? You never use Google? Amazon? Facebook?
I already needed to register my system to an e-mail address when I first started Sonos in 2013 (7 years ago) and as far as I understand, Sonos has always gathered user data.

I understand the sentiment, somewhat, but if you don't want any of your data gathered, you should be living offline.

Sonos Radio fails… no audio output on pressing play and player reverts to Stop mode

Branding suggests Sonos Radio us just Tune in rebranded.. what is the point? No new features..

Reverted to using Radioplayer which works everytime.

I already needed to register my system to an e-mail address when I first started Sonos in 2013 (7 years ago) and as far as I understand, Sonos has always gathered user data.

Not so! I purchased a connect, connect AMP, soundbar, and woofer in the early part last decade as wireless speakers - not data harvesters. At some point along the route (7.0?), an email was required, I just gave a false one and continued fine. Now just to upgrade you need to remember the false email (and confirm it!). Why?

It’s impossible to use the mobile app without upgrading it with the rest of your apps every other week, and the minute you do upgrade, you have to upgrade the whole speaker system! Why?

This is all unnecessary. I run my Sonos firewalled from Sonos Inc. and it works fine with Apple Music and my local file (music) server.

And by the way, I don’t use Google/Facebook/etc, but they never asked me $5000 for their wares. We paid a premium for this hardware and they have no right to our data retrospectively. I would never buy a Sonos product again.

P.S. Tune-In DON’T collect any personal data from me. I’ve never registered or had to provide an email to use Tune-In!

I am not going to get in a "did not, did too" debate with you, there have been many threads on here where long term users have confirmed that they registered their system to an email address years ago.

The point about being able to turn off updates has been made extensively on these boards already, too, so need to get back into that.

That you don't need an account for TuneIn, does not mean you are not being tracked. If you're smart enough to firewall your Sonos, you should know that too. If a service is free, YOU are the product.

Also, Google, Amazon and Facebook are everywhere, and it is nearly impossible to block them without severely impacting your online experience.

​​​​​​Anyway, thanks for your rant, I repeat my advice of living offline if you don't want anyone collecting your data and will get back ontopic now.

Curious about this TuneIn integration... 

How do I set Sonos Radio as the default radio player for Google Assistant? Currently it still uses TuneIn when I ask it to play a radio station.

I don't see that changing soon. Asking GA to stream anything on Sonos works through a different mechanic than controlling Sonos with the app. This also the reason why voice control on Sonos is bound to the "single stream" restrictions from some services, whereas regular control on Sonos is not.

Google decides which radio service is used by Google Assistant, just like they decide which streaming services can be controlled by it.

Re: Programme info on BBC Radio streams

Have just updated my system and have noticed that unlike the BBC Radio 2 stream on ‘Radio by TuneIn’, there is no ‘On Now’ programme info on ‘Sonos Radio’, so for now, I’m sticking with TuneIn as this seams like a backwards step for BBC Radio streams.

Can I ask about explicit content on Sonos Radio. I use the content filter on Amazon Music which works well. 
 

Do the curated Sonos radio stations include explicit content?

I’m still using a few CR200 controllers around the house. I’ve installed the Sonos Radio service, it appears on the controller but when I select it, all I get is ‘unable to browse music’.

Would it be a correct conclusion that Sonos Radio isn’t supported on the CR200?

I agree with many of the comments above about including a ‘National’ category to find radio stations which are broadcast nationwide across all cities. 

It would also be useful to have a ‘My Radio Stations’ similar to the TuneIn function - this is particularly true when setting up an alarm, as currently there is no way to quickly find a radio station you listen to frequently.  Foe example to set up an alarm with BBC Radio 2 you need to select Sonos Radio / Browse Radio / Locations / Europe / United Kingdom / (then know you need to select London to see nationwide stations) London / Then you can finally select the station you are looking for - not the simplest of processes

Once you’ve eventually found the station you are looking for you can add it to ‘My Sonos’, which then appears under ‘Stations’, but unfortunately when adding an alarm there is no option to quickly select from My Stations (it would be good if there could be an equivalent of the Sonos Playlists function for saved radio stations when setting an alarm)

Just to clarify - does the TuneIn system still work as normal? e.g. is the new Sonos service totally separate from, and in addition to, TuneIn, or does it partially replace it?

If I’m listening to Radio Hour I can pause and restart the program, but I can’t see the timeline? Is this something that will be added later?

And if not free, you’re the object of mandatory data collection and forced registration anyway?

The only difference with Sonos, is there’s an oddly worded privacy policy listing the extensive data collection that happens with every tap of the controller. The word “legitimate” is used often, along with  soothing words about choice, protection, security.

I find it interesting that the “functional data” which can’t be opted-out of, is similar to the “additional usage data” which can be opted-out of. Details about played content, even labels of speakers, and other things all getting sent back for what purpose? The answer: “to guide product improvement and customer support decisions”. Which does NOT sound like critical functional data. Which does NOT sound like critical functional data.

And yes, I deliberately wrote that last line twice, just like they did in the privacy policy on that point.

Comparing to FB, Google etc is false equivalency. But even so, if you buy the premium Google plan, “G Suite” or whatever it’s called,  your emails will stop getting scanned. That’s part of the deal. You pay, you stop getting the ads and tracking. Anyway.. back on topic, Tune-in or Not Tune-in, that’s the question?

The Sonos Privacy is here.

It clearly states that We do not and will not sell your personal data to third parties.  

So you buy server space, develop collection software, and manage the data for nothing? Sound business? I bet you aggregate the data and sell that (hence it not being personal).

I don’t want that. I don’t want you to know what I’m listening to or how I use MY purchase. Why do you think you have a right to my data? Sonos speakers are not free.

I know 99% of people don’t care, but I DO. And as they say, a negative review hits 100 more people than a positive one. You’re really shooting yourselves in the foot. I hope you’re getting lots for my data, as you won't be getting any speaker sales until you stop ALL this data collection.

I agree a “national” category for stations would make sense. Overall sound quality seems very good, one question - Can’t find U.K Jazz FM, are they included in Sonos radio?
 

Regarding 128 Kbps AAC, I imagine higher rates will be available post S2 for a subscription. Just the way of the world these days but I’d be interested to know if I could actually hear a difference. If I can I’d be interested to add it to my new Sonos Atmos soundbar with eARC that I’m sure is coming soon(ish)!

From the Verge:

'Sonos is partnering with TargetSpot to sell ad inventory and says “only general location data (ZIP code) and music genre information” is shared with advertising partners."

They are sharing data, collecting it and obviously want to monetize it as much as they can. They have been collectingv your usage and other data for years. Personally I'm happy they are upfront about it and have a good privacy policy.

You can choose not to install the Sonos Radio service. You can also block Sonos telemetry if you really want to (Google is your friend). 

If I install 11.1 I have to remove the service. If I want to stop MY speakers from collecting information that should be by default private, then I have to include every Sonos related URL on my firewall. In short, if I want to use the product I paid for as a speaker system, I have to be massively convenienced so Sonos can sell MY data.

This might be acceptable if this had been the case when I purchased the half-dozen Sonos products, but when I purchased the Connect, soundbar, etc. this was not the philosophy behind the product.

Sonos are stealing, or trying to steal, data that I don’t want them to collect, and my only choice is to inconvenience myself or bin the product. Should I be happy? All I’m asking for is an opt out of ALL data collection switch.

I suggest you sell your Sonos.  You are obviously not going to be happy with them, and life is too short to go through unhappy. 

The speakers can't stop collecting data by default because literally every function besides playing your own locally stored music requires them to collect some amount of information to connect you to your desired service (such as your IP address.)

If you only listen to your own music, shutting down Sonos' access to the internet will solve your data collection problem. 

I suggest you get out Wireshark or such and have a look; to use Spotify (who also collect data I appreciate), or Apple Music the speakers don’t need to touch Sonos (as is my current setup).

Or you can just look back a few years (pre Apple Music I admit) and see no Sonos data collection was required. It’s only since ~7.x (fuzzy memory here), that I started seeing every operation (local or requiring a remote music service) instigate a call(s) to a Sonos domain (purely for data collection). BTW, that’s one reason why the controllers are slower than they used to be!

Unfortunately, every time I upgrade the firmware I have to stick the network monitor on to record for 24 hours+ to see all the new Sonos domains being used so I can add them to my block list.

Trust me, you don’t need this comms overhead unless you’re using voice control/assist on some of the newer products (which obviously I would never buy - equipped as I am with hand!).

This is a pure data-grab (voice asset excepted) - no functionality depends on the speakers communicating with Sonos (as I’ve proved/have currently setup).

Sonos Radio is another data-grab - it adds nothing Tune-In or the myriad or existing music services don’t already provide. They’d earn more by adding an opt-out option (being decent), and improving there hardware/software (the iOS controller app gets slower with every release).