End of Software Support - Clarifications

End of Software Support - Clarifications
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4256 replies

chickentender

My 2 cents as a very disappointed early adopter. I used to work for Tweeter a now defunct New England based a/v specialty retailer that had stores across the country and we were the FIRST nationwide retailer to sell Sonos when it first launched. There was no Spotify or Iphones for that matter and even Sirius or XM (pre-merger) wasn’t available on Sonos yet. Many of us sales people were fortunate enough to win Sonos products for free in sales contests, the logic being there’d be more sales if sales people had it at home. They were right. I and many other sales people sold the crap out of Sonos so we could have it too. If we sold 5 systems (in those days it was 1 ZP100, 1 ZP80 and 1 CR100 controller) we’d win the same for ourselves. This contest ran twice so many of us won two 2room systems.  We gushed about how ground breaking, flexible and expandable they were. I sold Sonos to countless customers for years and if I were still in the biz would be very reluctant to do so in the future. This new “legacy” crap will affect 4 of my zones and to add insult to injury I’d have to buy TWO products to replace what my trusty ZP100 does in ONE box. I use my ZP100 to feed my receiver based surround system through the RCA outs and use the speaker outs to feed outdoor speakers on my balcony. All I have to do is switch the volume in that zone from “fixed” to “variable”. I won’t be able to DO that now because the “AMP” doesn’t have analog outs so NOW I need an “AMP” AND a “PORT” to do what ONE ZP100 did. Not to mention that the “AMP” AND the “PORT” are BOTH MORE money than their predecessors were with the same (or in the case of the “AMP”) LESS functionality. A 30% discount on a “trade-up” is a slap in the face not just for all the customers who’ve spent thousands on your products, but it’s slap to all of us sales people (current and former) who f***ing BUILT YOUR COMPANY. You should be ASHAMED. FIX THIS and treat your long time customers BETTER than a “sale” price,. 30% is BULLS**. I guess I’ll be looking at Yamaha Music Cast in the future.They’re LESS money with MORE connections……..and THEY support REAL hi-res 192/24 audio files as well. 

 

That truly sucks. Have a look at the Arylic series of amps and pre’s. (A50 specifically) Certainly doesn’t address your overall system (being Sonos I’m assuming) but it’s worth a look.

H
Userlevel 2

Correct me if I’m wrong, but for now, it seems that the “legacy” stigma is limited to products that have inputs rather than pure players. It would be palatable, at least for this round, *if* Sonos made a replacement device that was actually better (more inputs, optical output?) and affordable.

Since that’s not the case, let’s play this strategy out, of separating our Sonos “legacy” products from “modern” with 2 separately functioning systems. Yuk! Now, what happens next time? Another wave of “legacy 2021” products, which have some subset of features that work with them, but not on “legacy 2020”? Now we have 3 systems with differing features? Bull-spit!

The *only* viable solution for Sonos to save face and marketshare is to provide an actually affordable upgrade path. 30% off is not that.

R
Userlevel 3

Seriously considering getting the whole set up on eBay as soon as possible.

Wont be buying any more SONOS products. 

 

Only problem here is you won’t be the only one doing that - and the arse will fall out the second hand market. :-(

H
Userlevel 6
Badge +3

So, what functionality exactly will I lose if I just hold onto my 1st Gen Play:5? I take the software updates but am really unclear as to what that does for me.

 

Please answer this. Perhaps I, and many others, will be less angry if we know the answer to that question.


If you stream from services such as Spotify, and they decide to make a change to the API in the future … Sonos won’t necessarily make a change so that you can continue streaming. Functionality will be lost over time.
 

Ryan S
Userlevel 7
Badge +26

 

So, what functionality exactly will I lose if I just hold onto my 1st Gen Play:5? I take the software updates but am really unclear as to what that does for me.

 

Please answer this. Perhaps I, and many others, will be less angry if we know the answer to that question.

@FrontRangeTraveller, after the last updates in May, you can continue to use legacy products (your Play:5 gen1) and your experience will initially remain the same. We don't expect any immediate impacts from ending software updates. However, functionality of features and services will be impacted as technology evolves, over time. If all you have is the Play:5 gen1, the biggest thing you’ll notice is that you won’t get any more updates. If you use music services or voice assistants, or any other connected service, over time those may have trouble if their software changes and the Play:5 can’t update.

Mark good posts by pressing the like button, and select the best answer on questions you've asked to help others find solutions.
A
Userlevel 3
Badge +3

I have 8 x ZPxxx that have & continue to work flawlessly. I spent much cheddar in the early 2000s on these, and expected that they would continue to do their jobs just like the rest of my “high-end” audio gear. I’ve spent thousands.  (Most) People aren’t made of money. I spent a lot expecting I’d get a “lifetime” of use of of them. Sure, capacitors dry out, tube filaments burn out, but these can be easily repaired. The notion that I’m going to pay $600 - 30% just to regain my EXSISTING functionality is ludicrous. Who needs Siri, Alexa or Google??

C
Userlevel 3

Simple concept here if Sonos actually wanted to support its best, longest-running customers properly and give them reason/comfort to buy additional equipment over time:  There is absolutely NO TECHNICAL REASON why a “modern/capable” piece of equipment can’t just stream the desired audio to a “legacy” amp/player.  Can already use “line in” from one device to get sound out of another through the network as it is.

 

So come May 2020, allow me to leave all my equipment on the same network, and just have the App use one of the non-legacy products (with the “latest drivers, etc.”) to stream the audio into the legacy one.  Done.  Absolutely no reason that shouldn’t easily be possible since it already works today.  And you can't tell me that the audio stream itself is somehow going to become “too much for older equipment to handle.”  Even if there was something to that (which there isn’t!), then just run a scaler on the “modern box" to convert it to a legacy-level stream.

 

And if this is something Sonos isn’t willing to support, then it’s 100% clear that this move is pure money-grabbing BS for its stock-holders, and all current and future customers should run for the exits!  Won't the investors be pissed at THAT outcome!

M
Userlevel 3

Closing the old thread? Tragic strategy. I’ll keep this short:

  • Be clear about what happening in May (New OS? Then who’s beta testing?)
  • If you can’t be clear about what’s happening in May then push out the date. 3.5 months is not enough warning!
  • Up the discount to 50%
  • Find a better way to crystallise your Legacy product’s core functionality (which includes integration). Balance those development costs against the value of your remaining reputation.

I’m still just so disappointed. Don’t be kidding yourselves that you can just ride out this one. It’s going to haunt you for years. The mere existence of a Legacy category will be a permanent ball-and-chain around your neck. A reminder and warning to all involved or invested in Sonos that you couldn’t develop a better solution and are no longer industry leaders but beholden to the likes of Spotify and Google. So sad.

H
Badge

So, 3 years left for my Play:3, which presumably you will then suggest I have to replace with the more expensive Move.

And the 1s could easily go around the same time if they follow the same route as the Connects and discontinue based on the manufacture date.

Time to spend the next few months planning what future system I want in my house that can replace the 14 zone Sonos.  Frankly it’s not the money I would need to spend now that’s an issue, but the ongoing cost I would paying out for the rest of my life to continue a whole house 1 zone system.

Glad to see the stock price tanking today.  Serves you right.

L
Userlevel 3

If people want to voice their views on an external platform you can leave a review on trust pilot. Already over 650 reviews:

https://www.trustpilot.com/review/www.sonos.com

C
Userlevel 2

I (Love Sonos) but with this announcement/implimentation and a 30% offer.  I might just take my Play 5 up the back garden and give my children a hammer for educational purposes, and give them the difference as Pocket Money. 

G
Userlevel 6
Badge +4

Those trust pilot reviews are sure getting worse

 

Even more 1 star reviews

 

https://www.trustpilot.com/review/www.sonos.com

F
Userlevel 1

I am probably a total anomaly..I buy CDs and load them into iTunes (better sound than MP3s, and I own, not rent the music). 

Most of what I play on my Sonos system is music I own...only rarely do I use Pandora. And, GooglePlay, which I loved when it was Songza, doesn’t function now.

So, losing streaming services won’t kill me. Perhaps more clarity in your press announcements would have averted some of the overwhelming anger here. I will say I am reluctant to upgrade to the new Play:5...definitely a better speaker, but with a 5-year life? Really?

Pro Tip: Fire your PR agency. Or, if as is quite possible, you don’t have one...hire one.

J
Userlevel 4
Badge +3

Don’t be kidding yourselves that you can just ride out this one.

 

I honestly don’t believe that they want to ride it out - they have grabbed the idea of disruption and are going to redefine their business into one selling short lived appliances, maybe over time at a low price (having seen that Google and others can create similar products at a fraction of the price). 

Sonos is trying to take the step from being a first-mover, a luxury manufacturer for the few, into becoming a mass-market manufacturer. Similar to what we have seen in other industries such as the car makers.

Why they want to get rid of all their old customers first before finding the new ones is less clear, but it has been seen before that the steps of a new strategy are being executed in the wrong order, perhaps because what is going on right now is the easy part that can be done quickly. Building up the new business takes a bit longer...

 

“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)
N
Userlevel 3
Badge

I am probably a total anomaly..I buy CDs and load them into iTunes (better sound than MP3s, and I own, not rent the music). 

Most of what I play on my Sonos system is music I own...only rarely do I use Pandora. And, GooglePlay, which I loved when it was Songza, doesn’t function now.

So, losing streaming services won’t kill me. Perhaps more clarity in your press announcements would have averted some of the overwhelming anger here. I will say I am reluctant to upgrade to the new Play:5...definitely a better speaker, but with a 5-year life? Really?

Pro Tip: Fire your PR agency. Or, if as is quite possible, you don’t have one...hire one.

Yeah, I can see how I will have ways to keep my system working, it’s just a shame that after going to the effort of buying in to Sonos’s model for having an ecosystem, I’m going to have to go back to more traditional means of feeding music in to said system. 

Sonos: a story of abandoning the need for a media server, and then needing it back again.

M
Userlevel 2

Simple concept here if Sonos actually wanted to support its best, longest-running customers properly and give them reason/comfort to buy additional equipment over time:  There is absolutely NO TECHNICAL REASON why a “modern/capable” piece of equipment can’t just stream the desired audio to a “legacy” amp/player.  Can already use “line in” from one device to get sound out of another through the network as it is.

 

So come May 2020, allow me to leave all my equipment on the same network, and just have the App use one of the non-legacy products (with the “latest drivers, etc.”) to stream the audio into the legacy one.  Done.  Absolutely no reason that shouldn’t easily be possible since it already works today.  And you can't tell me that the audio stream itself is somehow going to become “too much for older equipment to handle.”  Even if there was something to that (which there isn’t!), then just run a scaler on the “modern box" to convert it to a legacy-level stream.

 

And if this is something Sonos isn’t willing to support, then it’s 100% clear that this move is pure money-grabbing BS for its stock-holders, and all current and future customers should run for the exits!  Won't the investors be pissed at THAT outcome!

THIS is EXACTLY CORRECT. The devices do not all connect to the streaming services (if they did, you would need individual logins for each speaker or speaker set). Instead, they use the controller (software on phone/tablet/computer) to initiate the stream to ONE device in the speaker group. The chosen device then synchronizes its output across the network (either wired or wireless) to play the (highly) synchronized music. )

 So the wording from Sonos SHOULD BE (if they are being honest), you must have *at least one “modern/supported sonos device” in every possible logical speaker grouping that you may want. This would allow everyone to use their existing speakers for years to come AND would push those of us with many logical room/speakers groups to upgrade to newer devices to leverage our existing kit, WITHOUT replacing everything all at once.. 

Get your head out of your asses Sonos. Class actions and activist investors are on your doorsteps like rabid dogs...

 

A

Just in the process of moving country (yet again) and along with some other AV equipment the Sonos stuff was on the list of ‘which shipping method’.  This just made it easier, bin it and leave it behind.  Originally invested in Sonos because, along with the Squeeze system, it was the only game in town back then and Squeeze was way too clunky for me.  Things have moved on a LONG way since then though and the likes of Airplay and Chromecast etc have come on in leaps and bounds, even if you want multi-room functionality.  Along with that has come a whole slew of speakers, sound bars and such with sound and hardware quality rivalling (and for me, in many cases, surpassing that of Sonos) AND at a fraction of the price, those options are also less of the one trick pony that is Sonos.  In all honesty I never did take to the breeze block style of the older ZPs.

With the massive advances in hardware over the last 5 years, several times I’ve sat and thought that if I was starting from scratch I’m not sure I’d go the Sonos route again. This has absolutely put the nail in the coffin for me and I’ll definitely be leaving my (very expensive) legacy junk behind, I’m not even tempted to try and con anyone into buying it used and telling them it’s a great buy because it isn’t a great buy at all, actually more a great BYE for me!!!

Whatever I replace it with may equally have a lifespan but I’d far sooner replace 4-6 speakers at £200 each in 5 years time than replace Sonos legacy kit at £500-800 a pop!  It was good while it lasted but time to move on.

S
Userlevel 2
Badge

Not affected by the current “round” but have 5 play 1s and a play base..

how long before my play 1s are obsolete and can no longer link to my play Base?

Seems the very thing that SONOS sold on (a single integrated sound system) wont be possible as products become obsolete.  It’s farcical to suggest that over time you will need to move obsolete produces to a separate network group.  Bad decisions and bad pR.

 

Sonos products were seen as a premium product and part of the price we pay is for the ongoing maintenance and support.  Whilst we can’t expect this to last forever it should be a hell of a lot longer than is being proposed.  

 

was looking at a sub but have to consider the implications of this - had hoped to build my system up and continually add to it but this does call that mentality into serious question.

 

additioNally 30% discount is a joke when the devices are perfectly serviceable - not exactly environmentally friendly to deliberately brick and render products useless is it.

 

seriously bad decisions

L
Userlevel 3
Badge

A deserved wave of negative feedback and publicity for Sonos from a previously loyal fan base. 

Over $3000 to ‘upgrade’ my ‘obsolete’ home sound system that I have invested in repeatedly over the past decade.  

I think I’ll pass on investing any more of my hard earned cash into Sonos or it’s products.

I would like to thank the ‘community’ for sharing their disappointment with this company.

 

S
Userlevel 1
Badge

Yep, I am also not a happy camper. While I understand that technology has come a long way since the older products were designed and produced, I never really expected the bullet proof Sonos products would be a ‘throw away’ item.

I have a big whole of house investment in Sonos gear which includes Connects, Connect Amp’s, Play 5’s, Sound bars, Play 1’s. and other products, and to get an email saying the 8 of my products are obsolete, and then insult me by only offering a 30% on RRP discount to update is a joke.

I have been a very loyal customer and massive fan who has recommended and even setup quite a few Sonos systems in friends and family’s homes for many many years.

Now looking for alternatives as Sonos, my friend for many years has let me down big time.

G

I probably don’t need to add my 2 cents worth as there is already 717 people who have (mostly) vented their anger.  I suppose Microsoft also doesn’t support its products forever. But, at least you can keep the old MS Windows working even if it will only run on an equally old machine.  You can still get MS XP if you need it for an old machine performing a specific function.  Will Sonos make earlier versions of its software available so that if I have to replace my PC or smartphone I will be able to reconnect to my “legacy”Sonos system with the new devices?

M
Userlevel 4
Badge +1

Someone's already created a boycott Sonos website:

https://boycottsonos.com/

Surely Sonos need to wake up and take note. They are causing themselves significant commercial harm and it's entirely self inflicted.

 

D
Userlevel 1

Sonos is a programming shop. If they wanted to they could absolutely devise a way for “legacy” products ( how stupid a term is that for some gear which is only 5 years old) to interface with newer products - without forcing the disposal of  thousands and thousands of dollars of gear that early adopters spent hard earned dollars on. IF THEY WANTED TO. They clearly don’t. This feel like nothing short of a money grab dressed up as a “technical necessity” and a kick in the nuts to those of us that supported the company in its early days. Not to mention how poorly this was rolled out. I got an email with the subject line “ Your system needs some attention.” It might as well have said       “ Sonos requires you to spend $3,000 to get what you already have!” 

 

Its a pathetic joke. How disappointing.

 

 

D
Userlevel 1

This totally BS. The point is that even if u do get sucked in AGAIN and buy their new speakers, what stops them from doing the same thing in 5 years time. 
 

I bought into the Sonos brand early and felt I was part of the brand.  In one  email Sonos has destroyed that. Quite impressive actually.  

 

I have spent thousands of my hard earned dollars on Sonos equipment that is now going to become worthless. 
 

u are dead to me Sonos. 
 

 


 

 

 


 

 

K
Userlevel 2

If Sonos legacy devices cannot keep up with complex software and streaming service API requirements, why not remove that requirement from the speaker itself? Can they not build a bridge (or controller) that integrates with the app and streaming services, and then streams the music to the speakers using existing streaming methods? It seems like this is a simple solution- remove the hefty processing requirements from the speaker, and move them to a different (more capable) device.

I was about to post a similar idea. This seems pretty basic: Develop a reasonably priced (< $50, and make this eligible for the 30% discount) external device to handle the memory and processing for the “legacy” unit. I’d choke down this bitter pill to keep my excellent Gen 1 P5 and connect amps going without 2nd networks, other silly complications and the looming suspicion that my system would simply one day stop outright.

Without such device or other upgrade path to keep basic operation running seamlessly, I, like others will find myself going elsewhere when the first ‘helpful’ upgrade wipes out half of my system.

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