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
Page 24 / 171
I bought a Sonos 1 in November - a product which will now become useless because my Connect will be made obsolete. So actually that's a product lifespan of just 2 months. I'm gutted that I've just wasted money adding to a system that is now being dumped.
Companies that encourage the disposal of perfectly good products don't deserve to survive... Which is exactly where Sonos are now heading…
It was good while it lasted, but I can't see you lasting more than a few years now. Your product is no longer unique or even best in class. So this is the final nail in the coffin.
I don't buy the whole lack of ram and under-powered cpu either. My connect is essentially a phono connector that works over WiFi. Absolutely no reason for that to stop working. This is a money grabbing scheme for sure. Shame on you Sonos.
Apparently my Bridge will become obsolete in May. Does anyone know what is being offered to replace it as l can’t find it on the Sonos website?
Mine died a while ago - and it makes no difference at all, so I just removed it.
Sonos why did you lock the previous thread,? I guess 55 pages of negative feedback had you worried. Pathetic
SONOS you could have handled this better. If it is possible to maintain legacy (not sure how a 3 year old device can be regarded as legacy) with new devices, maybe you should have announced that first. Seems like a response to all the bad feedback from "loyal" customers who made you what you are.
Looking around I found a great quote in a competitor's site,
"Well, we don’t have every single little music service on the planet, just the ones that count." As you can see I'm one customer who is already looking elsewhere. Probably won't be the last, but having had SONOS products since 2005, it hurts to end what was a great relationship.
I won't mention who this quote was by as I think the company have enough problems trying to cope with the situation SONOS management has created. Just feel sorry for the great SONOS staff who have had to convey this awful decision to the market!
I wait with baited breath as to whether SONOS can fix this with a hybrid system approach or whether I take delivery of a competitor system come the second half of the year. To be honest I was surprised about one competitor that gets 5 star sound reviews. I never rated anything when I was a loyal customer, after all, SONOS products were great and streaks ahead of the world when I purchased them and until recent times when the preoccupation of having voice technology and numerous updates every month started to wear a little thin. I can see now that the management and marketers have probably reduced the life cycle of good solid hifi tech products and so now the technical guys have said we can't go on. Shame really...
Apparently my Bridge will become obsolete in May. Does anyone know what is being offered to replace it as l can’t find it on the Sonos website?
Mine died a while ago - and it makes no difference at all, so I just removed it.
The Boost.
Sonos should sack their head of communication office. From being a recommended product it tends to be a hated company. I already had two “obsolete” products, ie Play 5 gen 1, which plays impressive - BUT now with it’s presence will erode the performance of my whole Sonos installation. The last 2 days many Play 5 gen 1 is for sale. May I recommend that Sonos make it possible to run 2 setups in the installation; one with “obsolete” products and one with “not yet obsolute”. Else you are in troubles.
best rgs
More mainstream investor media picking up:
Sonos Faces Social Media Uproar in Wake of Stopping Updates for Legacy Products; Shares Drop
2:35 PM ET, 01/22/2020 - MT Newswires
02:35 PM EST, 01/22/2020 (MT Newswires) -- Sonos (SONO) shares fell as much as 2% in intraday trading on Thursday after the US-based maker of multi-room audio products faced furor by its consumers on social media hours after the company said it will stop software updates for some of its legacy products.
Consumers posted tweets using the hashtag #SonosBoycott and tagged the Santa Barbara, Calif.-based company's chief executive officer, Patrick Spence, media reports said on Thursday.
Sonos said in a blog published on its website on Wednesday that starting May, it will no longer provide support for certain models rolled out between 2006 and 2009.
Sonos pointed out that technology has advanced at an "exponential" rate. "The first Sonos products were introduced before the first iPhone was announced and when Myspace still ruled social media," the company said.
The company advised customers to either move ahead with using the legacy products without fresh updates or trade up to a new Sonos product with a 30% credit for each legacy product consumers replace.
What a disgrace Sonos. You encourage me to ‘build’ my speaker network over time and then withdraw support. I WAS a huge advocate of the Brand. I’ve spent 1000s and encouraged so many friends to do the same. I now have half my Sonos system (£1200 original cost) that won’t work and I only bought it in 2014. I spent more because I trusted the quality and brand. This is not acceptable and being in tech myself, do not believe it can’t be overcome. I will NEVER buy Sonos again. I have 30 year old speakers that still work - how can £1200 worth of 6 year old speakers be out of date. You’ve killed your brand.
Honestly think the company missed a trick. Put out a new device, as mentioned previously, that allows legacy and modern to co-exist - people with thousands invested would pay for it - they’d grumble, but they’d pay.
This move has destroyed brand confidence. Even if they walk this back, which seems unlikely, how can we trust them? I’m not affected extensively by this change, yet, but as I add new kit (need a new home cinema) I’m going to have to look to build something sustainable - but man do I hate wires.
So my perfectly working Connect is now legacy and I should “upgrade” to a Port for the fantastic price of €314 for absolutely no benefit at all and not even an optical out?? If I had 300 quid to burn for no benefit to me I’m sure I could find much better uses for it. Then you brick the perfectly working Connect?
I have a bunch of Play:1’s the first of which I got years ago and just dont trust Sonos not to announce their EOL any day now… Why would anyone buy another product that could be EOL’d with no notice at any time??
I understand that I can do nothing and continue to use it but it’s made very clear that at any point it could all become useless if Spotify, Amazon, TuneIn etc decide to change an API...
Just another once loyal now very pissed off customer...
After May, systems that include legacy products will continue to work as before - but they will no longer receive software updates or new features.
So sounds like you’re saying that if a third party - Apple, Amazon or whoever - changes their software you won’t update legacy products to cope? I find it very hard to believe that the “lack of memory and processing power of these legacy products” would stop you.
THIS IS NOT COMPLETELY TRUE… Yes, your legacy products will continue to work as beforeHowever, leaving a legacy in your system will not allow you to update any Sonos device, including currently supported devices… There is a way to separate legacy devices from the currently supported devices but it makes no sense to do this because you will not be able to group legacydevices with currently supported devices… In short, SONOS is now a liability component in your smart house sound solution… For all you new users, until this is address, DO NOT take the chance as we did… let the lawyers fight it out first… lots of us have thousands invested in this solution that until now are very expensive door jams.
I am utterly disgusted. This means that what I have spent is going to be an utter waste of money.. I have had all of 6.5 years out my system before you did this.i will not be upgrading or trading in and will buy no more devices from you.
@PBobUK
Right! Imagine "Sonos Sound Power 1" - and market it for its features and as an alternative to replacing your "old" speakers. More money, no customer trust lost.
It is kind of what they did with the Boost. Something I didn't know I needed, and I still bought it.
4.5 years of support is not persisting Mike Groeninger.
#boycottsonos
For Sale: 3 x play 5s, 2 x Play 3s, 2 x Play 1s, Sonos Sub, Sonos bar…… No point in continuing with Sonos system….separating out “legacy” and “non legacy until Sonos deem more cash needed” breaks the whole ecosystem of a whole home system. What an absolute terrible decision Sonos have made to turn their back on their early customers “the influencers” who have championed the brand have been dumped on by the brand we loved. The ticking time bomb of future obsolescences will linger like a bad smell - so we never truely purchase the kit...we simply pay a premium to borrow it for an undetermined period of time which will be set at the whim of Sonos. Never expected Sonos UK to become the Ratners of Hi-Fi and go into self destruct.
As others (many others) have suggested - by all means develop new features which are only available on new generations - but dont kill of systems just because they have legacy kit in place. RIP Sonos…. your Brand is on a slippery slope as you have forgotten your most valuable asset - the trust of your customers.
The app shouldn't cause anyone trouble in the future.
As we move forward, we will provide ways to separate your legacy and modern products so that the modern products can still receive updates, and legacy products can still be used. We'll have more details in May.
1/ I’d just like to keep the software we currently have so all my sonos components work together as intended (And sold )
2/ I don’t wish to upgrade my existing system (so to speak) as of yet even with a 50% discount
3/ Why didn’t you say the above at the same time as making your despicable money grabbing announcement.
4/ I wish I hadn’t added to my extensive system last week and bought the Playbar, given how much respect you’ve shown yourselfs to have for your customers.
5/ If you always intended to update the software to the extent of making older speakers not work, why didn’t you print it on the box like a honest company.
6/ Why do your software updates stop the system from working until the update has been accepted and carried out?
4.5 years of support is not persisting Mike Groeninger.
#boycottsonos
Exactly - this was precisely what the brand was based on… and now its gone.
Their market differentiator - what made them special has gone.
Why would you pay to upgrade only to be treated the same way again in a couple of years time?
It’s still not clear why the 30% trade-up discount is not being offered for replacements of all of the now-legacy products.
For example, my Bridge has been flagged as “legacy” in the notification email (along with two Play:5 speakers). But the trade-up offer doesn’t seem to apply to the Bridge at all, even if I just want to replace the Bridge with the current Boost, as the Bridge is no longer being sold and Boost is touted as its replacement.
Will this oversight be remedied and all legacy products—even if some discounted legacy replacements are restricted to a current model/offering of the same product type—become eligible for the 30% trade-up discount?
As angry as we all are I do wonder what Patrick’s day was like?
Does this make him worry or is this just a ‘blip’…. a part of a larger business strategy. They will rebound from this.
Sonos has a reputation to ‘spin’ so are they thinking this will blow over as they put out some more news releases?
Is there humility in the equation or arrogance?
The recent SONOS announcement is an absolute betrayal of trust in its loyal followers. We pay premium prices for a premium product but are unceremoniously dumped and offered some derisory 30% discount. Shame on you SONOS. You deserve to go out of business. Trust is total. Disloyalty equally so. Goodbye.
Random musings.
Still so disappointed in this. I adore Sonos and have always recommended them to others. I do feel like I’ve had good value from the ‘legacy’ components in my system. I do have a degree of sympathy that having not bought a new component for a while but having Sonos support and steadily improved my products I have a good deal that isn’t sustainable.
But this isn’t the way to go about this. Its asking customers for too much outlay at once to move to a ‘modern’ system. And for those willing to do that will they now choose Sonos? Even if new components can be added to a ‘legacy’ system over time you’re seemingly going to need to have to replace every old component before you’re fully whole again.
I was planning to buy more Sonos kit. I love the look of the Move. I’d buy a gen 3 Play:5 with voice control tomorrow if it existed. Now I’m worried how long those purchases would last, both because of the direct implications of this announcement and because I’m wondering if Sonos will still be around in a years time because this seems desperate and destructive, particularly as Sonos knew the reaction they’d get to this announcement.
The best ideas I can think of as a route forward is
support older devices for the next 2 years, 1 year as a minimum. May is too soon especially as all details aren’t known now
ensure old and new devices can continue to work together without limiting new devices. Require a Boost/Bridge like device to be bought if necessary
allow services still supported on newer devices to be shared with older devices
Find a route for older devices to be put to some worthy use (schools, charities, less wealthy countries etc) rather than being bricked via the trade up scheme
I have been using Sonos for 12 years with the promise that they will upgrade and the gear I purchased would still work. Now I am being forced to turn in my Sonos Play 5 which is EXPENSIVE and just throw it in the garbage and get a puny discount on a new one. This is a major screw up by Sonos which needs to be fixed!!! Why does my 12 year old sonos3 still have the memory to run the updates, but my 6 year old Sonos 5 does not??? This is pure dishonesty and lack of integrity and I will never purchase anything else from Sonos. You need to make this right by providing a memory update to the 5, or providing a FREE trade up to a new 5 by turning in my old one.
