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

jmw_sono

Chromatic Producer I

Well, if no one else will speak up fro Sonos I will.

My system has worked flawlessly ever since I purchased my first 1st gen Play-5 many years ago.

Never an issue, not even with the updates that fail ever so often on other systems.

I accept that the older products can not be updated forever and if there will be a solution in May where newer products can be updated while the older ones remain as-is that’s fine with me.

So, I’m still in!

Are you in if you cant group/stream your legacy devices with the new ones? If they are two diff systems?

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Playbar(2) Sub(1) Play:5(2) Play:3(6) Play:1(5) Connect:AMP(3) Sonos:AMP(5) Move(1)

H

hackerdan

Lyricist I

I cannot believe Sonos still wants to pull the rug out. I get stuff not getting updates anymore but saying that I won’t be able to use the speaker with “new stuff” is just plain wrong. I have thousands invested into Sonos and i was looking into buying more. This makes me hesitate? What will happen in 5 years. will I have to upgrade again? This whole thing is wrong on Sonos part.

What do you mean by “new stuff”?

https://support.sonos.com/s/article/4786?language=en&et_rid=75038405&utm_campaign=lifecycleeosu_announce_183496_1497698&utm_medium=email&utm_source=owners_legacy_110822355&utm_content=copy-t2-readarticle_US

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.

How long does this last until stuff just stops working and you don’t know why. What features are not going to work together? will i be able to still have whole house audio? what happens if apple music makes a change to the API and it is no longer compatible with the “old” speakers. Lot’s of questions left unanswered in my opinion.

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M

Michael Mantkowski

Enthusiast I

If

. The Amazon Echos come closest in that department in my opinion. But they don’t have a equivalent to a “sonos connect” right?

Amazon has Echo Link - which is a Connect/Port like device with digital in/out. I've never used it, reviews are so/so.

My bad… I should have said “something comparable to the Connect AMP”. I have 1970s Infinity speakers (4) connected to Connect AMPS as well as my Patio Speakers and the SONOS not smart speakers in my office.

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Michael Mantkowski

Enthusiast I

From what i have seen, the electronics inside the IKEA Symfonisk is exactly the same as inside the Play 1, with the only difference being that the Symfonisk has 256Mbyte instead of 64Mbyte

The Symfonisk is essentially identical to a play 1 inside, apparently.

Yes, the Symfonisk is the same PCB but with added ram and rom

Should be an easy retrofit when the Play 1 is obsoleted in a couple of years….If they have not changed the PCB in the Symfonisk or stopped selling it.

If you think about a Symfonisk is more functional than a play 1.. when Sonos brick your Symfonisk in a few years you can at least continue to use it as a shelf.

You do know that they put a kill switch on the rear bracket don’t you? When Spence approves a particular software update, it falls off the wall… Though he may not be around to approve it.

But who wants the aesthetically challenged IKEA products?

This is the problem I am having in researching a alternative to SONOS. I like the way my products look. Most of what I am seeing and either just plain ugly or they are too much over the top for my taste. I like the simplicity of the design I have now. The Amazon Echos come closest in that department in my opinion. But they don’t have a equivalent to a “sonos connect” right?

To maybe answer your question RE: Sonos Connect Amazon equivalent - I’m looking at the Echo Link Amp and Echo Link at the moment among many other options (check them out on Amazon if you haven’t seen), and trying to figure out my going forward strategy - as I’m done with Sonos.

I am doing a backyard, California room renovation and was going to go with Moves for around pool and Amps and a Playbar, Sub for TV etc, but of course I’ve discarded that idea. Looking at the Bose 51 hard wired outdoor speakers now (instead of Moves), and trying to decide how to get rid of Sonos completely for the rest of the project . . .

. . . even thinking about a hardwired AV receiver now . . .

. . . it’s crazy like someone said above. Sonos was a default no question purchase before this fiasco for me. I wouldn’t even consider price or competitively shop - that’s how well the previous leaders built the Sonos brand! And I’ve gone from that to “never again” in 1 week - and I’m telling everyone I brought over to Sonos to get out of their ecosystem because they can change your functionality (or shut you down) on a whim (based upon what they see as to their financial benefit) - and they are testing those whims now.

I am convinced they may go out of business because of this brand destruction - and all my speakers will eventually die. In my 52 years of life I cannot think of any company that I have turned against so quickly . . . it’s amazing really . . . it would be hard to do worse in terms of destroying a brand if one really, really (did I say really) tried. I laugh and imagine the leaders at Sonos sitting around the boardroom table (like in a Dilbert cartoon) and saying - “hey, let’s destroy this company and our brand - who has the best idea about how we can do it?”

The sad thing is, the employees that built this (and us the customers) will be the ones that suffer. The leaders will profit when someone swoops in and buys them to pick-up the pieces after the stock drops to 5 . . .

I think the miscalculation that Sonos and Patrick made was that they did not understand the intelligence of their average user. People agreed to pay a Sonos premium because they understood the value in backwards compatibility, a whole house system (ie: we do not want segregated legacy and new systems), etc (ie: ROI). And also, to pay the premium, their customers naturally have to be somewhat successful in general and have substantial disposable income. People that fit that description are not dumb and can read through corporate BS when they see it.

Echo Link Amp - Well there you go. I should stop posting replies before I read all the later responses. Unfortunately I have to work too. lol I will check this out later today.

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G

Goodbye Sonos

Enthusiast II

I think we can safely say Sonos will not be changing direction

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S

Stuart_17

Enthusiast II

It has been only 6 days since we all got ‘the email’. …..feels a lot longer doesn’t it???

Since then there has been a lot of activity from previously loyal customers on this forum and a fair bit of damning activity from Wall Street.

But very little comment or action from Sonos!

i am bewildered by the silence…...there are even a couple of great threads that actually suggest to Sonos how they can fix this

Something just doesn’t feel right…..

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Y

Yellowdog

Lyricist I

From what i have seen, the electronics inside the IKEA Symfonisk is exactly the same as inside the Play 1, with the only difference being that the Symfonisk has 256Mbyte instead of 64Mbyte

The Symfonisk is essentially identical to a play 1 inside, apparently.

Yes, the Symfonisk is the same PCB but with added ram and rom

Should be an easy retrofit when the Play 1 is obsoleted in a couple of years….If they have not changed the PCB in the Symfonisk or stopped selling it.

If you think about a Symfonisk is more functional than a play 1.. when Sonos brick your Symfonisk in a few years you can at least continue to use it as a shelf.

You do know that they put a kill switch on the rear bracket don’t you? When Spence approves a particular software update, it falls off the wall… Though he may not be around to approve it.

But who wants the aesthetically challenged IKEA products?

This is the problem I am having in researching a alternative to SONOS. I like the way my products look. Most of what I am seeing and either just plain ugly or they are too much over the top for my taste. I like the simplicity of the design I have now. The Amazon Echos come closest in that department in my opinion. But they don’t have a equivalent to a “sonos connect” right?

To maybe answer your question RE: Sonos Connect Amazon equivalent - I’m looking at the Echo Link Amp and Echo Link at the moment among many other options (check them out on Amazon if you haven’t seen), and trying to figure out my going forward strategy - as I’m done with Sonos.

I am doing a backyard, California room renovation and was going to go with Moves for around pool and Amps and a Playbar, Sub for TV etc, but of course I’ve discarded that idea. Looking at the Bose 51 hard wired outdoor speakers now (instead of Moves), and trying to decide how to get rid of Sonos completely for the rest of the project . . .

. . . even thinking about a hardwired AV receiver now . . .

. . . it’s crazy like someone said above. Sonos was a default no question purchase before this fiasco for me. I wouldn’t even consider price or competitively shop - that’s how well the previous leaders built the Sonos brand! And I’ve gone from that to “never again” in 1 week - and I’m telling everyone I brought over to Sonos to get out of their ecosystem because they can change your functionality (or shut you down) on a whim (based upon what they see as to their financial benefit) - and they are testing those whims now.

I am convinced they may go out of business because of this brand destruction - and all my speakers will eventually die. In my 52 years of life I cannot think of any company that I have turned against so quickly . . . it’s amazing really . . . it would be hard to do worse in terms of destroying a brand if one really, really (did I say really) tried. I laugh and imagine the leaders at Sonos sitting around the boardroom table (like in a Dilbert cartoon) and saying - “hey, let’s destroy this company and our brand - who has the best idea about how we can do it?”

The sad thing is, the employees that built this (and us the customers) will be the ones that suffer. The leaders will profit when someone swoops in and buys them to pick-up the pieces after the stock drops to 5 . . .

I think the miscalculation that Sonos and Patrick made was that they did not understand the intelligence of their average user. People agreed to pay a Sonos premium because they understood the value in backwards compatibility, a whole house system (ie: we do not want segregated legacy and new systems), etc (ie: ROI). And also, to pay the premium, their customers naturally have to be somewhat successful in general and have substantial disposable income. People that fit that description are not dumb and can read through corporate BS when they see it.

Echo Link Amp - Well there you go. I should stop posting replies before I read all the later responses. Unfortunately I have to work too. lol I will check this out later today.

Michael, I tried the echo link amp to replace my 7 connect amps and it didn't quite work the way I hoped. I don't think it's a replacement, unless you want to change the way you interact with your music. You are forced to ask what to play and where by voice through an Alexa app or device. You can't start music from the Alexa app on your phone or computer by searching or selecting. This means no queing music or playing just a few tracks from an album. I like being dj sometimes across multiple sources and Sonos does this well.

I'm also looking for an alternative and musiccast and heos didn't get that great of reviews for their app, despite the limited music source choices. Bluesound cost more than Sonos and also got mixed reviews. I hate being held captive.

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M

morgan4x4

Enthusiast II

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M

Michael Mantkowski

Enthusiast I

From what i have seen, the electronics inside the IKEA Symfonisk is exactly the same as inside the Play 1, with the only difference being that the Symfonisk has 256Mbyte instead of 64Mbyte

The Symfonisk is essentially identical to a play 1 inside, apparently.

Yes, the Symfonisk is the same PCB but with added ram and rom

Should be an easy retrofit when the Play 1 is obsoleted in a couple of years….If they have not changed the PCB in the Symfonisk or stopped selling it.

If you think about a Symfonisk is more functional than a play 1.. when Sonos brick your Symfonisk in a few years you can at least continue to use it as a shelf.

You do know that they put a kill switch on the rear bracket don’t you? When Spence approves a particular software update, it falls off the wall… Though he may not be around to approve it.

But who wants the aesthetically challenged IKEA products?

This is the problem I am having in researching a alternative to SONOS. I like the way my products look. Most of what I am seeing and either just plain ugly or they are too much over the top for my taste. I like the simplicity of the design I have now. The Amazon Echos come closest in that department in my opinion. But they don’t have a equivalent to a “sonos connect” right?

To maybe answer your question RE: Sonos Connect Amazon equivalent - I’m looking at the Echo Link Amp and Echo Link at the moment among many other options (check them out on Amazon if you haven’t seen), and trying to figure out my going forward strategy - as I’m done with Sonos.

I am doing a backyard, California room renovation and was going to go with Moves for around pool and Amps and a Playbar, Sub for TV etc, but of course I’ve discarded that idea. Looking at the Bose 51 hard wired outdoor speakers now (instead of Moves), and trying to decide how to get rid of Sonos completely for the rest of the project . . .

. . . even thinking about a hardwired AV receiver now . . .

. . . it’s crazy like someone said above. Sonos was a default no question purchase before this fiasco for me. I wouldn’t even consider price or competitively shop - that’s how well the previous leaders built the Sonos brand! And I’ve gone from that to “never again” in 1 week - and I’m telling everyone I brought over to Sonos to get out of their ecosystem because they can change your functionality (or shut you down) on a whim (based upon what they see as to their financial benefit) - and they are testing those whims now.

I am convinced they may go out of business because of this brand destruction - and all my speakers will eventually die. In my 52 years of life I cannot think of any company that I have turned against so quickly . . . it’s amazing really . . . it would be hard to do worse in terms of destroying a brand if one really, really (did I say really) tried. I laugh and imagine the leaders at Sonos sitting around the boardroom table (like in a Dilbert cartoon) and saying - “hey, let’s destroy this company and our brand - who has the best idea about how we can do it?”

The sad thing is, the employees that built this (and us the customers) will be the ones that suffer. The leaders will profit when someone swoops in and buys them to pick-up the pieces after the stock drops to 5 . . .

I think the miscalculation that Sonos and Patrick made was that they did not understand the intelligence of their average user. People agreed to pay a Sonos premium because they understood the value in backwards compatibility, a whole house system (ie: we do not want segregated legacy and new systems), etc (ie: ROI). And also, to pay the premium, their customers naturally have to be somewhat successful in general and have substantial disposable income. People that fit that description are not dumb and can read through corporate BS when they see it.

Echo Link Amp - Well there you go. I should stop posting replies before I read all the later responses. Unfortunately I have to work too. lol I will check this out later today.

Michael, I tried the echo link amp to replace my 7 connect amps and it didn't quite work the way I hoped. I don't think it's a replacement, unless you want to change the way you interact with your music. You are forced to ask what to play and where by voice through an Alexa app or device. You can't start music from the Alexa app on your phone or computer by searching or selecting. This means no queing music or playing just a few tracks from an album. I like being dj sometimes across multiple sources and Sonos does this well.

I'm also looking for an alternative and musiccast and heos didn't get that great of reviews for their app, despite the limited music source choices. Bluesound cost more than Sonos and also got mixed reviews. I hate being held captive.

Thanks Morgan,

Sounds like we are looking for the exact same thing. I play music from my household NAS, my S10 Phone, Streaming Services, local radio, you name it. I currently (but rarely) do use my $50 Echo Dot to tell Sonos to play music as well. Normally if I don’t have my phone handy for some reason. I would want Amazon to have a control app with most of the abilities of the Sonos Controller as well.

Not sure they are going to want to play music from by local collection.

I am not rushing to do a wholesale replacement today. Want to look at all the options available and compare against the price / functionality of what i have now.

Thing is… Before last week I would never have even questioned where I would be getting my next purchase from. I admit to being a “Sonos Sheep”.

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T

toastedbass

Lyricist III

Stocks go up and down. I don’t think multiple stock price updates are worthwhile news each day, just because the shares are down a bit. The management team warned investors to expect a bumpy ride initially when they implemented this pre-planned updates policy. They knew it was controversial, and they knew it was going to be a hard sell.

I do wonder if the current CEO was fully aware how much of this business is built on product evangelism from enthusiastic owners though? It can easily work in reverse if those same people start belittling your product with as much venom now as it was previously enthusiasm. I suppose that’s the real danger for Sonos as a company.

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