Skip to main content
SONOS
SONOS
Sonos Official
July 25, 2024

Update on the Sonos App from Patrick Spence

Related content:CommunitySonos
Update on the Sonos App from Patrick Spence

Hello everyone,

We wanted to take a moment to address concerns regarding our new app that launched in May. At Sonos, delivering an exceptional experience is paramount to all that we do. Unfortunately, your experiences over the past several weeks have fallen short of our commitment to you.

Today, our CEO Patrick Spence published a letter that includes a detailed update on the progress we’ve been making and plans going forward. You can read the full letter here.

We sincerely appreciate your patience and continued support. We are working hard to earn back your trust and are more committed than ever to delivering a consistently great Sonos experience for everyone.

Thank you all for your patience,
Your Sonos Team

      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.

      986 replies

      Show previous replies
      paulrw
      Prodigy II
      July 30, 2024

      Can’t sonos harness AI to solve alot of user issues, there are so many variables, legacy stuff, routers, ethernet, S1 , S2, new app etc etc  that one support guy can never know them all, but it’s all logic and once in AI we all get best proven answer straight away...maybe

        sjw
        Local Superstar
        July 30, 2024

         

         

        I thought the headphones were Bluetooth only and won’t connect to wifi. As far as I’m concerned they are not really a Sonos product same as roam. They are just like a.n.y.other companies offerings

        Sonos have introduced many new devices in simple point software upgrades, I assume they went all in and only coded support for ACE in the new App (which was also broken).  Actually, the latest release seems to have stopped adjusting the newish Sub Mini, I wonder how long it will take to add that back and where it will be in the backlog.  In fact, despite defending the code team etc. in the past, and I absolutely know they'll be working their socks off, there are bugs being introduced in new updates that really shouldn't be.

        It's a disaster for Sonos and I feel the numbers will reflect it in the next financials.

        There's probably little to stop Sonos releasing a parallel App (16.1...) for users without ACE at least.

        Theres no other way to look at it really that the vast majority of users have gone backwards in the last couple of months (including those with working systems as they're still waiting for the restoration of some functions) and for many this is unforgivable.  And even for those users, they're expected to wait more months to be able to do things they could do in early May….

        Case studies galore in the future this debacle.

          sigh
          sigh
          Prodigy II
          July 30, 2024

          If Patrick Spence actually cared they wouldn’t keep drip feeding functionality. They would roll back to a previous known working version until a fully functioning update is available

          The message says “we hear you” but the actions say “we’re ignoring you and going to carry on regardless with whatever ridiculous plan we had in the first place”

          I don’t think they can and protect headphone sales which were the driver for this crappy app. The old app won’t support their new products which is how we all ended up with this rubbish.

          I thought the headphones were Bluetooth only and won’t connect to wifi. As far as I’m concerned they are not really a Sonos product same as roam. They are just like a.n.y.other companies offerings

          The USP of the headphones from what I can see, is the Spatial Audio between the sound bar and the headphones.

          While any headphones can be used for Spatial Audio, you usually need to connect them to the source device that can mix multi channel to 2 channel spatial. So when gaming, connect them to the PC/Console, when streaming content connect them to the streaming player (if it supports it) etc. With the Sonos headphones the sources just send multi channel audio and the sound bar converts it to Spatial Audio for the headphones. No additional licenses such as Dolby Atmos for headphones on PCs, specific source hardware combinations, Apple TV + Apple headphones are required.

          Outside of that they’re expensive Bluetooth capable headphones imo and depending on individual requirements may not be suitable anyway. I rarely use headphones but when I do I want an inbuilt mic for gaming so want headphones connected to the source device anyway. One of my parents sometimes wants to wear headphones while the other doesn’t watching the same program, depending on the audio mix. The tv-swap wouldn’t work for them as it silences the sound bar.

          Everyone has different requirements and I can see a benefit of the soundbar to headphone Spatial Audio for headphone users, but personally I have no need or interest in them.

            Michael.B
            Enthusiast II
            July 30, 2024

            Do you allow your developers to write “Something went wrong” error messages?
            Just curious… :)
             

             

            Depends on the error.

            Isn't this the 9th deadly sin?

            jgatie
            jgatie
            July 30, 2024

            Isn't this the 9th deadly sin?

             

            Drop it.  I was trying for a lighthearted comment in a sea of toxicity.  If you can’t handle that, that’s on you.

            ExtremeTMM
            ExtremeTMM
            Trending Lyricist I
            July 30, 2024

            New update 16.3.1 (build 80155240) fixed everything for my system including browsing. 

            Tihstae
            Lyricist I
            July 30, 2024

            I registered for this community just to post my reply to this letter that I sent to an inbox that will never be read.  This is my letter.

             

            Your apology letter is insincere and rings of deceit.  If you really wanted to help your customers not experience all these problems the fix is simple.

             

            Rollback to the old working application and take this pre-alpha test application back into QA testing.  

             

            You have lost a customer with your fake apology.  A sincere apology would come with a solution instead of promises that you have proven you can't or won't fulfill.

             

            Sincerely, 

             

            A customer lost.

              Ellwood
              Contributor I
              July 30, 2024

              Hello everyone,

              We wanted to take a moment to address concerns regarding our new app that launched in May. At Sonos, delivering an exceptional experience is paramount to all that we do. Unfortunately, your experiences over the past several weeks have fallen short of our commitment to you.

              Today, our CEO Patrick Spence published a letter that includes a detailed update on the progress we’ve been making and plans going forward. You can read the full letter here.

              We sincerely appreciate your patience and continued support. We are working hard to earn back your trust and are more committed than ever to delivering a consistently great Sonos experience for everyone.

              Thank you all for your patience,
              Your Sonos Team

              Mr. Spence,

              I appreciate your apology letter, but it shouldn’t have taken this long to react and respond ?. This has been going on since May. As CEO, it is up to you to keep your customers and shareholders satisfied. As each update seems to fix one thing, it has also created 10 more issues. Who is minding the store at Sonos ?. I have too much money invested in this to just jump overboard, but how I proceed going forward is still up in the air. Because this has been such a mess for so many people, I would’ve directed your team to give “daily” community updates on the progress to all the needed fixes. That in itself would’ve shown your customers that Sonos really cared about their end users, and might’ve helped with a lot of the backlash now happening. Unfortunately, as much as I am looking forward to the next update/fix, I am also a bit worried too as to what will happen next.

              Thank you.

              I will give credit when it is due, and after today’s update….it is due. As much as all of this has frustrated me over the last 3 months, Sonos has as of today fixed all my issues, so I have zero reason to complain anymore. Thank you for this fix..

              928sandberg
              Contributor I
              July 30, 2024

              I don't know where to start!!! I've been working with IT for over 30 years but never have I been forced to use so badly written software. This new application should never have been released, not to the public at least. I have done alpha, beta, release tests many times but after spending 1000s of dollars on Sonos products and now i can't even use them, I'm pissed off, really pissed off. Now after the latest update, both firmware and app it's not even possible to start the app. Reinstalled, removed my new Ace headphones, nothing workes.!!!! This is really * up. Fix this ASAP and never again release this kind of * thing. Take this back to the developer's and don't stop work before it works. 
               

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

                rosswells127
                rosswells127
                Prodigy I
                July 30, 2024

                I quote from Patrick Spence...

                We plan to continue releasing new software updates on a bi-weekly cadence. With each release, we will share detailed notes on what we’ve addressed and what we’re working on next in our Community.

                It may be a timing issue but firmware update 16.3.1 is out but I cannot see any any release notes for that version at this time.

                Ross.

                Show more replies
                Terms & ConditionsAccessibility statement