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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Hans Christian

Lyricist I

Dear Sonos,

Your mindset as expressed in your information about this issue is that Sonos hardware can be compared to a PC. We’ve come to be accustomed to PCs having a limited life span.

This is however not the mindset that most of us have when it comes to speakers. And speakers are what most people believe Sonos is all about. Not a software platform or smart house gadget. Sure, a very smart speaker system, but speakers nonetheless.

The thing with quality speakers is that they tend to be expensive. On the other hand they seldom break down and pretty much never goes obsolete. Ergo you do not expect that you will have to replace all your speakers because of some software issue.

Your announcement has been somewhat of a wake-up call for many, including myself: With speakers where software plays a crucial part, you must expect the speakers to become obsolete at some point because of software issues, and certainly long before the hardware side of the equation would be anywhere close to retirement.

It probably should have dawned on me when our remote controls were rendered obsolete because of software issues.

Personally, it feels terribly wrong to regard your speaker system as anything else than an investment, both because of financial og environmental concerns.

Currently I’m thinking that I’ll never buy a Sonos product again and I’ll certainly stop my ambassadorship. In fact, now I feel bad for the people that I’ve convinced to buy Sonos.

On the other hand, the question is what will I buy - if and when the need arises?

What I think I’m not alone in contemplating, is to approach speakers with a newfound awareness that the following requirements must be met:

1. Has excellent sound

2. Is convenient

3. Does not risk becoming obsolete prematurely because of software issues

Sonos has 1. covered, 2. for my part dramatically less so after the loss of a dedicated remote control, and has proven that 3. is not a concern (for Sonos).

I just ordered the iPort Xpress remote control, and even though this is a ridiculously simple remote that does not even allow you to play a favourite song over again, i.e. no backward button, our Sonos experience is about to become a bit more convenient than it has been since we stupidly recycled our Sonos remote controls.

Now, if Sonos would do something to really address number 3., removing the fear that will still linger even after the adjustments that you’ve made to your initial announcement, then I might consider buying Sonos again.

Good luck.

Best regards,

Hans Christian

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Levo

Lyricist I

Sonos,

What a poorly thought out decision you have taken. I too am an early adopter of Sonos products and have advised friends and family to purchase your products. NO MORE, you are a greedy rip off company that has little regard for it’s customers. I have a number of Play 5s, amps, connect amps, connects, and a CR200 controler. All expensive kit and was ment to be an investment that would last. I was intending expanding in to a tv suround system knowing that all my system would be good for many, many, many years, aparently this will not be the case. I

Your update program seems very much to me like a scam, thought out by one of your CEOs to boost sales. I see through it and will not be fooled. I hope this backfires on you and you loose your loyal customers.

Mr Pissed off.

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IJN

Renowned Enthusiast I

I was angry, very angry … but if they can come up with a solution which enables all speakers, old and new, to work seamlessly with features extant today, and new features possibly being restricted to modern units, then I'm happy once more….Refer to earlier posts where I’ve picked up glimmers of such hope in media (BBC/Evening Standard/ Slashgear)

There are a few posts on here who can also see this through the fog of hysteria, which to my eyes might be lifting (slightly) and hope these thoughts are picked up by Ryan S and reported back ….

It's not happening. New units once updated will not be able to synchronise with legacy units. As soon as only the latest software will work with spotify etc, legacy units are landfill.

Sonos could choose to implement software that will allow newer units to be a master to legacy units and keep them all part of one environment. Or they could develop a control box to sit on the network and do this.

The truth is they dont want to, it's far easier to cut loose the "legacy" hardware and hope people will upgrade. If you are sat on £3k worth of connect amps, tough. Sonos dont want to know. They are moving to a 5 year premium subscription model for their hardware and that's it.

If you are correct, then my anger remains...

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andyd1302

Enthusiast II

And so it begins

retailers-move-to-dump-sonos

Sounds like Sonos is indeed under pressure - and combined with having an unhealthy tone towards their partners and a technological base that is not modern, they have now begun doing such absurd things like we have seen recently. Certainly a sign of desperation from a company that doesn’t know what to do.

No disrespect, but what the hell is “Channel News”? To be very frank, that was one of the most poorly written and worded pieces I’ve read on the web in a bit… and one has to be forgiving of web pieces. I’ve seen posts here in the forum put together better (not mine, mind you, but they’re here :relaxed: ). Just had a strange air to it as well.

Yes, that online magazine seems to be quite negative towards Sonos - they have other articles with more or less the same tone.

To be fair to the website, they've just given a decent review to the IKEA Sonos speaker

https://www.channelnews.com.au/review-symfonisk-affordable-sonos-with-one-strange-design/

On the point about negativity I'm sorry, but the minute Sonos as a company seemingly decided to engage in subterfuge to try to force it's loyal customers into unnecessary upgrades with scare tactics ("Your System Needs Attention") it deserves to be called out, however negative that might be.

To compound matters further, the apparent deceit continued with the CEO's statement which is an even worse betrayal of trust if the report is correct.

Please read the article below & tell me this wasn't the intention, as this is what it looks like to me.

I don't see a defence from Sonos, just platitudes and vague promises.

https://www.channelnews.com.au/retailers-move-to-dump-sonos/

How can we, as loyal customers, even begin to trust Sonos again if this is how the company now operates?

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Levo

Lyricist I

The message from Patrick Spence is welcome but it beggars belief that a corporation the size of Sonos can get it this wrong. Very pleased to see that the Customer remains king! What has still not been addressed is the environmental impact of the still bricked returned units if I decide to upgrade at some stage. What is happening to these?

Sadly the customer does not remain king. The message simply says we’re going to do what we said in the first place - stop updating software on your ‘legacy’ units (they might update bug/security aspects but they will potentially still stop working as soon as a streaming service updates its API). And if you want to keep using your legacy units while they last, they won’t interface with any new units you buy (or any “modern” units you own if you dare to update the software on them) - you will have to have two systems.

But if you look at some media comments, there may be a glimmer of hope that, whatever may have been their original intention, they are saying the issue was the inability of older units to be updated with capacity hungry modern updates. If one can’t update, none can. Therefore looking to split system for updates so each generation receives appropriate updates. One comment says looking then to see if old and new can work together… but does say not sure if they can… look at my earlier posts and you can see the development/ reference points of these arguments.. If this can be made to work with newer units accessing new features but old ones like out from them, but all units working together when requirement is within their capability, then I’m as happy as I was before and will upgrade when I feel the need to have the newer features… If whole home grouping not possible, then I remain angry…

I think you are projecting an enormous amount of what you want to see on to the situation. There has been nothing from Sonos in any of these announcements that has entertained the idea that legacy and current will work together. NOTHING.

The articles in the media you refer to also do not quote anyone at Sonos saying anything directly that changes anything. I think you give the journalists too much credit; some of them are doing the same thing you are and reading the wishy-washy language from Sonos and assuming the most positive interpretation of the ambiguity.

The number one reason to refuse sonos the benefit of the doubt is simply that we (referring to the members of the community who are technical, which isn’t everyone) know for a cast iron fact that there is NO barrier to an integrated system continuing to work other than Sonos’ business decision not to do so, yet Sonos have dodged this point in every statement and forum post they’ve made on this point.

They don’t want your old components to continue to work, they just want you to shut up and buy some new ones. They aren’t trying to do the best they can by you in the face of technical limitations, they’re trying to make the weakest possible commitments they can to make the complaining stop. That’s it.

I think you are spot on with your comments.

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jwinther

Lyricist III

Lost my trust from Sonos today. Will switch to B&O or some other brand for my next sound system. Never heard om anything like this threatening customers to buy the latest hardware. Catastrophic.

Agree - the threathening is the worst of it all.

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“This is a chance now to come up with a system that doesn’t cause massive planetary damage in exchange for disposable stuff,” Proctor said. (https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/3a8dpn/sonos-makes-it-clear-you-no-longer-own-the-things-you-buy)

arightwalker

Lyricist I

I felt it important to share my displeasure at the behaviour of Sonos along with everyone else.

I’ve purchased six products since 2013 and would regard myself as a happy and loyal Sonos customer. I’ve regularly praised both my the quality of my Sonos equipment and the company itself to friends, family and colleagues alike.

Part of the reason I was happy to pay more for Sonos products was an expectation of them lasting for many years, not least given the excellent build quality (and how often do you typically need to buy new speakers in any case?) I mainly stream my own music collection plus also make use of internet radio.

The recent cack handed attempt to try and encourage customers with otherwise perfectly functioning equipment to upgrade struck me as ludicrous as well as not environmentally friendly.

Together with the ‘end of software support’ announcements I’m questioning how long all my expensive equipment will work before I am forced to change/’upgrade’ it. A strange way to treat the many loyal Sonos fans the company previously had. I have now lost confidence in the company and will not purchase any further Sonos equipment until my trust is regained, which, sadly, it may never be.

In addition I now find myself in the strange position of bad mouthing and recommending against purchasing anything Sonos to the very people I was previously happily recommending it to.

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andyd1302

Enthusiast II

....I now find myself in the strange position of bad mouthing and recommending against purchasing anything Sonos to the very people I was previously happily recommending it to.

...and that ^ is the saddest part in all this.

The pursuit of short-term cynical corporate gain at the expense of the very people who made the company successful.

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daboosh

Lyricist I

I don’t need new features or redesigned menus. I just need my Connect to stream music to my stereo receiver and my wireless speakers.

I want to leave my Sonos system with legacy products as it is. What’s going to change?

Your Sonos system will no longer receive updates, so your experience will initially remain the same. However, the functionality of features and services will be impacted as technology, particularly music service and voice partners, evolves over time.

How long until existing functionality or features are impacted?

We don’t expect any immediate impact from ending software updates.

As changes are made to technology in the future, particularly by music service and voice partners, access to certain services or features may be disrupted. An example would be a music service partner issuing a new update that isn’t backwards compatible with legacy software.

From what I interpreted Spence’s most recent public statement to mean, essentially Sonos is holding firm to it’s planned obsolescence. If, say, Spotify changes something in how it’s music is streamed, a simple update to existing Sonos legacy devices to allow access to Spotify’s changes will not be performed and essentially your legacy Sonos devices will cease to work.

This is unacceptable. No one is asking for an extended warranty. No one is asking for new features until the end of time.

All that is being asked is that our devices work in the manner that was advertised when we purchased them. If I had been informed that Sonos would no longer allow my Connect to stream music 5 years after I purchased it, I never would have purchased any Sonos products in the first place.

This is a disaster. Instead of creating loyal customers that are brand loyal you have, in one fell swoop, not only prevented existing customers from becoming repeat customers, but you have effectively created a vocal group that will warn everyone they come in contact with to steer clear of Sonos.

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ggaldom

Lyricist I

It is truly a tremendous shame.
I have spent thousands of Euros on Sonos products believing that simply listening to music on good products would last for years. Disappointing.
Sirs of Sonos look for new buyers but do not force them to change those who already have their products simply because it occurs to you that they must evolve. I do not believe that these products cannot have updates simply working as they are. I do not want new features, or change my speakers for new ones with a 30% discount, I want mine, which I have spent a lot of money on them, working as they are. Simply a very good sound quality and music in Streaming. There's no more.
It is a shame, and as you have made that decision, I will also make the decision not to continue buying Sonos products, knowing that in 6 years of your purchase they will become obsolete.
No, not with me, I have been scammed once. It will not happen again.
Thank you for reconsidering your decision and I will reconsider mine. But the damage to the brand is done ...

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