Retired Sonos Staff

End of Software Support - Clarifications

Dec 8, 2022 11:29 AM UTC
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We announced yesterday that some of our oldest Sonos products will be moving into a legacy mode in May of 2020. Our commitment is to support products with regular software updates for a minimum of five years after we stop selling them, and we have a track record of supporting products far longer.

Here is some public information we’ve shared, gathered into one place to respond to some of your questions in one easy thread, so that people can find the correct information easily.

Beginning in May, software updates and new features from Sonos will only be delivered to systems with only modern products.

After May, systems that include legacy products will continue to work as before - but they will no longer receive software updates or new features.

Sonos will work to maintain the existing experience and conduct bug fixes, but our efforts will ultimately be limited by the lack of memory and processing power of these legacy products.

We don’t expect any immediate impact to your experience, but access to services and overall functionality will eventually be disrupted, particularly as partners evolve their own services and features.

Customers with both legacy and modern products have time to decide what option is best for them. You can continue to use your whole system in legacy mode - in this case, it will stop receiving updates and new features.

You will also be able to separate your legacy products from your modern products, so that the modern products can still receive updates and new features, and legacy products can still be used separately. We’ll have more information on how to do this in May when you can take that action.

Another option available to all customers with legacy products is to take advantage of the Trade Up program, which allows you to upgrade older Sonos products to modern ones with a 30% discount. Trade Up will be open to customers at any time should they decide to upgrade.

We recognize this is new for Sonos owners, just as it is for Sonos. We are committed to help you by making options available to you to support the best decision for your home.

If you have any further questions, please don’t hesitate with asking.

Update 2/22: A message from our CEO

We heard you. We did not get this right from the start. My apologies for that and I wanted to personally assure you of the path forward:

First, rest assured that come May, when we end new software updates for our legacy products, they will continue to work as they do today. We are not bricking them, we are not forcing them into obsolescence, and we are not taking anything away. Many of you have invested heavily in your Sonos systems, and we intend to honor that investment for as long as possible. While legacy Sonos products won’t get new software features, we pledge to keep them updated with bug fixes and security patches for as long as possible. If we run into something core to the experience that can’t be addressed, we’ll work to offer an alternative solution and let you know about any changes you’ll see in your experience.

Secondly, we heard you on the issue of legacy products and modern products not being able to coexist in your home. We are working on a way to split your system so that modern products work together and get the latest features, while legacy products work together and remain in their current state. We’re finalizing details on this plan and will share more in the coming weeks.

While we have a lot of great products and features in the pipeline, we want our customers to upgrade to our latest and greatest products when they’re excited by what the new products offer, not because they feel forced to do so. That’s the intent of the trade up program we launched for our loyal customers.

Thank you for being a Sonos customer. Thank you for taking the time to give us your feedback. I hope that you’ll forgive our misstep, and let us earn back your trust. Without you, Sonos wouldn’t exist and we’ll work harder than ever to earn your loyalty every single day.

If you have any further questions please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Patrick Spence
CEO, Sonos

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J

Joe McBule

Lyricist I

I'm not a technically minded person. My first Sonos product was a present and I've loved it, the sound, the operation and the seamless integration with the components I've added over the years. My email to the good Mr Spence just asked him if it was spelt 'Olafson' or 'Olufsen'. Bye...

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andy_120

Enthusiast II

There’s a new message posted from Patrick today that will help answer many of the questions we’ve seen. You can see it above in the top post, or on our blog here ‘A Letter from our CEO’.

You still don't get this. I brought a system that had no sign of having its life ended. There was no disclaimer that it has an EOL. Firstly in the original statement it says that in time I could possibly lose functionality, now in today's CEO announcement it still says software updates will end, but will still resolve bugs ect. So I can only conclude the original statement applies that the system will eventually cease to stream my music. So as far as I'm concerned these statements have not changed my view at his time. The simple truth is honor your commitment to my purchase of your system, do I want new features NO I don't, do I want VOICE control NO. These statements are just a fudge and man up and admit your error and this may go some way to redeeming your brand name which at his time is xxxxx

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JVesper

Lyricist I

I had been planning on expanding our SONOs speakers in March to replace other still working equipment to have a more seamless integration with the other SONOs equipment.

This has gotten me so pissed off that I’m putting that idea on permanent hold. I don’t need any more useless paperweights in my home. Oh and thanks for offering 30% off on the option of spending MORE money with you guys.

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ExSonosFan

Lyricist I

Very bad move for Sonos. I have invested in five Connect:AMPs and, in general, am OK with upgrades to support new features. My issue is the 30% discount...it is a slap in the face of the people

who have been the ones really selling Sonos to their friends and family. So, in effect, after spending way more to get Sonos and do it right, I now need to basically double that initial investment. This barely works in the corporate world and will not work in the consumer world. No thanks. I will take my business else where.

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MrSwadge

Enthusiast I

Thank you, SONOS, for acknowledging our dismay and disappointment. While your email still says little, it is a start, at least. We hope you can exceed our expectations, as you once did, but I now watch with a wary optimism.

Copy of email received:

We heard you. We did not get this right from the start. My apologies for that and I wanted to personally assure you of the path forward:

First, rest assured that come May, when we end new software updates for our legacy products, they will continue to work just as they do today. We are not bricking them, we are not forcing them into obsolescence, and we are not taking anything away. Many of you have invested heavily in your Sonos systems, and we intend to honor that investment for as long as possible. While legacy Sonos products won’t get new software features, we pledge to keep them updated with bug fixes and security patches for as long as possible. If we run into something core to the experience that can’t be addressed, we’ll work to offer an alternative solution and let you know about any changes you’ll see in your experience.

Secondly, we heard you on the issue of legacy products and modern products not being able to coexist in your home. We are working on a way to split your system so that modern products work together and get the latest features, while legacy products work together and remain in their current state. We’re finalizing details on this plan and will share more in the coming weeks.

While we have a lot of great products and features in the pipeline, we want our customers to upgrade to our latest and greatest products when they’re excited by what the new products offer, not because they feel forced to do so. That’s the intent of the trade up program we launched for our loyal customers.

Thank you for being a Sonos customer. Thank you for taking the time to give us your feedback. I hope that you’ll forgive our misstep, and let us earn back your trust. Without you, Sonos wouldn't exist and we’ll work harder than ever to earn your loyalty every single day.

If you have any further questions please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Sincerely,
Patrick

Patrick Spence
CEO, Sonos

We need clarity, if a provider changes their API is this deemed a bug fix or a new feature. The letter doesn’t tell us anything new. Sonos without a major content provider such as Spotify is significantly less valuable. Is that a bug fix because it’s Spotify which carries more weight than say local radio? Only time will tell.

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Greg66

Avid Contributor I

Put to one side the near hysteria there has been up to now and take Patrick Spence’s announcement at face value.

it raise two questions and it seems that Sonos doesn’t have the definitive answer to either - yet.

will I be able to group legacy and modern units to play a single stream on them. It looks like the answer to this right now is “no” but it may be that it is “not that we have worked out yet - but we are working on it”.
will I be able to play my Spotify account on my modern system and my legacy system at the same time? Right now I can’t play it on two things at the same time (eg my phone in the car, and my Sonos system at home. One stream will terminate). But within a single Sonos system I can use my Spotify account to play multiple streams at the same time. Now, if Sonos can work out a way to fool Spotify into seeing a legacy and modern system in the same house as a single system, so that I can play X and the kids can play Y, great. If not, things will get a bit tiresome. I don’t want (for example) to have to get an Apple Music account to play on the legacy kit and keep Spotify for the modern. Again, it’s not clear whether the answer to this is definitively negative or whether they are working on it.

This episode has been an object lesson in showing how bad news must always be accompanied by clarity, certainty, and a sweetener.

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Nattie

Lyricist II

Over 1300 negative responses to the original announcement but it is ok, the CEO’s letter which really says nothing new gets 17 likes…..

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S

Sonos gone bad

Lyricist I

Outrageous & sinister, blackmailing Sonos ! With 4 Amps & a Connect I spent about £2k & love the system & now this. On principle I will not give Sonos another penny & go elsewhere. And what about waste ? Perfect, beautiful objects wasted for pure greed. Let them get away with this & every other company will follow. You won’t own anything anymore, just hire it all, off the Technology Overlord Gangsters.

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RLL02

Lyricist I

Help me out with this please; I am a software/hardware engineer and a designer of numerous WiFi, Bluetooth and proprietary RF technologies solutions, i have used both open and proprietary platforms to support audio, video, and SCADA signal processing.

So, my question is: what are you putting on these devices that requires so much more space or functionality; Seriously; you are streaming through either a cell phone, a mobile device (ipad, ipod, etc.) so the majority of the logic is on your audio device and the speaker/amp is the receiver; correct? Does the device collect any information, sound (audio signal processing) or any other measurements that requires the mobile device to receive any data other than streaming data and controlling sound levels to your SONOS Device?

i find it unfortunate that your technology in these devices is “obsolete” and cannot be used in future roll outs of software. Over the past years i have seen no less than 100 updates; Everytime i use Sonos, i get a “must update software”; what exactly is being updated; the mobile device or the Sonos product or both. Seriously; how much data/control is needed on a device? It is a “streaming Receiver” is it not? Or does it do more signal processing or does the SONOS device collect information via WiFi?

After seeing the notice of “no longer being able to be updated”, i was amazed, frustrated and annoyed. Your CRM is seriously deficient and lacks sensitivity of your customer; we put you where you are and this is the “thanks” we get…

I will “Never” purchase another Sonos product and will seek other products that can be use to stream audio and there are “hundreds” on the market…. For your next generation of devices; build a “removable” controller that allows people like me to retain their investment without purchasing a short-lived product…

very very unfortunate situation!!!!!

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Taco5layer

Lyricist III

Thank you, SONOS, for acknowledging our dismay and disappointment. While your email still says little, it is a start, at least. We hope you can exceed our expectations, as you once did, but I now watch with a wary optimism.

Copy of email received:

We heard you. We did not get this right from the start. My apologies for that and I wanted to personally assure you of the path forward:

First, rest assured that come May, when we end new software updates for our legacy products, they will continue to work just as they do today. We are not bricking them, we are not forcing them into obsolescence, and we are not taking anything away. Many of you have invested heavily in your Sonos systems, and we intend to honor that investment for as long as possible. While legacy Sonos products won’t get new software features, we pledge to keep them updated with bug fixes and security patches for as long as possible. If we run into something core to the experience that can’t be addressed, we’ll work to offer an alternative solution and let you know about any changes you’ll see in your experience.

Secondly, we heard you on the issue of legacy products and modern products not being able to coexist in your home. We are working on a way to split your system so that modern products work together and get the latest features, while legacy products work together and remain in their current state. We’re finalizing details on this plan and will share more in the coming weeks.

While we have a lot of great products and features in the pipeline, we want our customers to upgrade to our latest and greatest products when they’re excited by what the new products offer, not because they feel forced to do so. That’s the intent of the trade up program we launched for our loyal customers.

Thank you for being a Sonos customer. Thank you for taking the time to give us your feedback. I hope that you’ll forgive our misstep, and let us earn back your trust. Without you, Sonos wouldn't exist and we’ll work harder than ever to earn your loyalty every single day.

If you have any further questions please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Sincerely,
Patrick

Patrick Spence
CEO, Sonos

We need clarity, if a provider changes their API is this deemed a bug fix or a new feature. The letter doesn’t tell us anything new. Sonos without a major content provider such as Spotify is significantly less valuable. Is that a bug fix because it’s Spotify which carries more weight than say local radio? Only time will tell.

@MrSwadge = Yeah… I read that too quickly with far too much optimism, and missed the lack of anything tangible being offered. I quickly edited my post, still not a satisfactory response.

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