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Ryan S
Ryan S
Retired Sonos Staff
Jan 22, 2020 3:20 PM UTC

End of Software Support - Clarifications

  • Dec 8, 2022 11:29 AM UTC
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End of Software Support - Clarifications

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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    4256 replies

    Show previous replies
    Jeffrey_G
    Feb 2, 2020 3:28 AM UTC

    We got the PR guy now Sonos moderators deleting posts hoping no one would notice.

    With thousandsof critical posts here you guys need a different strategy. Instead of rope a doping us until May let's get on with the bad news.

    Translate
      hulio
      Lyricist I
      Feb 2, 2020 8:56 AM UTC

      I have a beam with 4 play:1, grouping rooms already doesn't work today! 

      Buying Sonos was a poor choice, I will opt for some major serious brand like Bose or Sony.

      Selling my Sonos garbage will be difficult...

      Translate
        Luis N
        Lyricist I
        Feb 2, 2020 10:09 AM UTC

        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

        I am yet another SONOS fan that is no longer investing nor recommending your products. It's NOT ethic to charge as much as you charge and not having continuity of service after just a few years into the product. Fair enough technology is evolving very fast and things change. But these are not Dollar Shop products. You should have planned this way before. Now it just seems it was indeed planned and you thought customers would just bite the bullet. I will not.

        What really upsets me is your initial decision on the use of old and new products. It tells how much you care about customers: NOTHING. Now you react with a patch. For me what counts is first thought ... and it was not us ... your customers / fans / Brand Ambassadors.

        At least I have LINE-in so I will be able to keep using them as far too expensive regular speakers ... but WILL NOT BUY SONOS AGAIN. 

        Going forward, I would suggest you plan for these issues or SONOS future might be quite dark. There are quite a few options ... just ask your customers.

        In a nutshell... too late and too little.

        Translate
          Finn1000
          Enthusiast I
          Feb 2, 2020 10:58 AM UTC

           

          I have many friends with Sonos systems too. We are most of us affected by the announcement to some degree.  We don't like it but we understand it.

          I am fortunate to have only one legacy item. I understand that some users face a much bigger issue.  But I am entitled not to agree with the view that Sonos is the devil incorporate.

          There is very little misinformation. lots of speculation but Sonos only have themselves to blame and could kill the speculating by providing more information which they choose not to do. 

          If you don't like being called a shill don't call posters opinion misinformation and platitudes like "but me and my friends understand" implying we don't. Post what you want but just as you are free to do so, we are free to post ours. If it walks like a duck it's a duck even if not officially on the payroll. 

          Do you have shares in Sonos!

          Translate
            djaustin
            Lyricist II
            Feb 2, 2020 1:53 PM UTC

            Just as Sonos have declared my Play 5 Gen 1 to be legacy, and hence my connected system no longer subject to upgrades. I have, reluctantly, taken the same strategy to my entire Sonos system. It is now legacy and will not be subject to HARDWARE upgrades. Thanks for the ride. I’ll gradually offload it and replace it with Naim instead. 

            Translate
              jjohncm
              Lyricist III
              Feb 2, 2020 5:39 PM UTC
              Thu 1/30/2020 16:32  Have we solved your issue? Sonos Support <support@sonos.com>; Cc: nathan.strong@sonos.com; patrick.spence@sonos.com;  

              No! you have not solved my issue at all.

              You are intending to brick my CR200 controllers with no way for me to upgrade the controllers or stop the brick/recycle process – this is simply not fair!

              I’ve been loyal customer since 2006 and spent lots of money on my system.  I recycled these controllers by accident believing my new stuff would not work unless I recycled as you said in your memo.  Then you changed your mind and said legacy products would continue as is after May, however you are now saying you are unable to stop the recycling – this leaves me with nothing, repeat nothing  – no controller, no upgrades for these controllers.

              I don’t want money, I want fairness, user loyalty and to have my old system back.  Do not kill my controllers.

              I suspect what you are doing in this instance is probably illegal and suggest you kick it upstairs to executive management before the class action suits start rolling in. 

               
              Translate
                ptomberg
                Lyricist II
                Feb 2, 2020 8:13 PM UTC

                Sonos,

                Can you please provide some clarification about the Sonos Play 1 first generation speakers I bought brand new from Costco one month ago.  Your CEO’s email indicated that full software support would continue for 5 years after a product has been discontinued (paraphrased).  I would expect that this product, even though no longer available from Sonos.com, would receive that same level of full support when purchased at any of your licensed suppliers, like Costco, Sam’s Club, etc... 

                I've now asked this question THREE times in three separate forums. Sonos has yet to respond.

                 

                 

                Translate
                  Goodbye Sonos
                  Enthusiast II
                  Feb 2, 2020 8:26 PM UTC

                  Sonos,

                  Can you please provide some clarification about the Sonos Play 1 first generation speakers I bought brand new from Costco one month ago.  Your CEO’s email indicated that full software support would continue for 5 years after a product has been discontinued (paraphrased).  I would expect that this product, even though no longer available from Sonos.com, would receive that same level of full support when purchased at any of your licensed suppliers, like Costco, Sam’s Club, etc... 

                  I've now asked this question THREE times in three separate forums. Sonos has yet to respond.

                   

                   

                  ptomberg you need to address your question to Ryan

                  Translate
                  robbieduncan
                  Lyricist III
                  Feb 2, 2020 8:40 PM UTC

                  Sonos,

                  Can you please provide some clarification about the Sonos Play 1 first generation speakers I bought brand new from Costco one month ago.  Your CEO’s email indicated that full software support would continue for 5 years after a product has been discontinued (paraphrased).  I would expect that this product, even though no longer available from Sonos.com, would receive that same level of full support when purchased at any of your licensed suppliers, like Costco, Sam’s Club, etc... 

                  I've now asked this question THREE times in three separate forums. Sonos has yet to respond.

                   

                   

                  I don’t want to speak for Ryan or Sonos but I’m pretty sure Ryan has clearly defined somewhere in this massive thread that it’s 5 years from when Sonos stop selling them. Not when stock runs out at third parties.

                  Translate
                  Ryan S
                  Ryan SAuthor
                  Retired Sonos Staff
                  Feb 2, 2020 9:08 PM UTC

                  Sonos,

                  Can you please provide some clarification about the Sonos Play 1 first generation speakers I bought brand new from Costco one month ago.  Your CEO’s email indicated that full software support would continue for 5 years after a product has been discontinued (paraphrased).  I would expect that this product, even though no longer available from Sonos.com, would receive that same level of full support when purchased at any of your licensed suppliers, like Costco, Sam’s Club, etc... 

                  I've now asked this question THREE times in three separate forums. Sonos has yet to respond.

                   

                   

                  I don’t want to speak for Ryan or Sonos but I’m pretty sure Ryan has clearly defined somewhere in this massive thread that it’s 5 years from when Sonos stop selling them. Not when stock runs out at third parties.

                  It’s been said several times across this thread and others, but I’m happy to share again. We’re committed to providing software updates for a minimum of 5 years after we no longer sell the product, but our track record is much longer than that. The devices that are moving to legacy in May are ones that were designed at least a decade ago, some over 16 years. 

                   

                  We got the PR guy now Sonos moderators deleting posts hoping no one would notice.

                  With thousandsof critical posts here you guys need a different strategy. Instead of rope a doping us until May let's get on with the bad news.

                  @Jeffrey_G we only delete posts that are breaking the terms of service on the community. Foul language, personal attacks, and the like at not allowed on this platform. We welcome people to join the conversation and share their feedback here, and won’t delete anything simply because it’s negative. You’re post was attacking another user, and so it was removed from the thread. Please try to stay friendly with other users.

                   

                   

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