Retired Sonos Staff

End of Software Support - Clarifications

December 8, 2022 at 11:29 AM
4256 replies
269757 views

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

jborge

Contributor I

I am trying to keep my cool here. Noticed everybody is dumping Sonos gear on Craigslist now.

I think I am going to do that as well to get out of the ecosystem. I have a connect amp, and Play 5. Play 5 I bought in 2015. To me, it is still new.

How about working with the app developers, to preserve the legacy apps, such as Spotify. Keep new and old separate. If you allow a core group of apps to be available to keep the legacy running, that could help.

I think you need to increase to trade up to 40% to take some of the sting out. And sales tax should be applied after the discount, not before. Remember this is $600+ each gear we are talking about. It works perfectly fine in its current state. Allowing the community to preserve a perfectly functioning piece of equipment is your only hope to prevent the backlash that you may not recover from, not to mention the carbon footprint you are creating,

davidsjones76

Contributor I

Hello to Sonos and their community.

I haven’t read every single comment on this thread, but it would seem that a lot of people are unhappy. My comment, for what it’s worth, is that I bear no animosity towards Sonos. It is inevitable that this will happen to every “smart” device at some point. Sonos, are just the first to do it. To name a few, we have had Bose, Yamaha, Denon, and B&O speakers over the last couple of years. We were in search of superior sound and only found it in Sonos. Where Bose is concerned, they do have a relatively good sound, but the software and services that are included in both their SoundTouch, and Smart devices, is incredibly limited. We had many negative experiences, with every device, until we bought Sonos. Yes, their “legacy” announcement was a shock, but it is not going to be the only company to do this. Sonos are just the first to do it. The hardware in their “legacy” devices, has simply reached its limit and can no longer be “confidently” updated. If Sonos are to remain ahead of their competitors, in a saturated market, then they have to make controversial and difficult decisions such as this.

Perhaps you are right… but for me it requires a new investment of $5,500 to modernize 16 components in order to get full use out of the 10 more recent ones.

as a long term Sonos advocate don’t you think they would have a better solution for folks like myself rather than alienating us?

Right now I am screaming from the rooftops about how this is a company profiteering off the backs of people that helped make them successful.

Hey,

To clarify, I am not begrudging anyone’s right to complain. I do totally get that a “whole-home device replacement” would be expensive. I am stating that this kind of “legacy” announcement will happen more and more often, by almost every “smart” provider, eventually. None of the “legacy” devices are going to suddenly stop working in May. Therefore, purchasing a replacement Sonos device/system is not going to be necessary. Yes, currently, it appears that there will be a problem updating the software on non-legacy devices, if they remain connected in a system that contains both “legacy” and “non-legacy” devices. I can imagine how that feels, but I have read that Sonos are trying to find a way to overcome this initial problem. Hopefully, they will. I object to you calling me a “long term Sonos advocate”, because I am not. I was sharing my view and understanding, along with our personal experiences of other providers, which is allowed.We do like our Sonos devices, but this doesn’t make me an “advocate”. Additionally, the “long term” part of your comment is incorrect, we have only purchased Sonos devices over the last couple of months. Indeed, we are happy with Sonos, but it doesn’t mean that I don’t recognise how others are feeling. Most, would appear to share your desire to scream from the rooftops and are too feeling alienated. Unfortunately, I personally, cannot help you, or others that share your sentiments. Take care.

S

softforge

Lyricist I

Just seen on the BBC that my play 5 means my 8 Sonos ones will no longer get updates from May.

I was about to add voice control to my set in April as a birthday upgrade. But as it will only work for a month before the setup will be obsolete or I spend my birthday money simply replacing the 5 just to keep the set where it is, what is the point of getting any Sonos products?

Does anyone know if this is usual for wifi speaker manufacturers to give them just a 5-year life? Had I know this 6 years ago when I was looking at the play 5 I would have thought twice before buying Sonos. Once bitten twice shy.

L

Lomas

Lyricist III

Hello to Sonos and their community.

I haven’t read every single comment on this thread, but it would seem that a lot of people are unhappy. My comment, for what it’s worth, is that I bear no animosity towards Sonos. It is inevitable that this will happen to every “smart” device at some point. Sonos, are just the first to do it. To name a few, we have had Bose, Yamaha, Denon, and B&O speakers over the last couple of years. We were in search of superior sound and only found it in Sonos. Where Bose is concerned, they do have a relatively good sound, but the software and services that are included in both their SoundTouch, and Smart devices, is incredibly limited. We had many negative experiences, with every device, until we bought Sonos. Yes, their “legacy” announcement was a shock, but it is not going to be the only company to do this. Sonos are just the first to do it. The hardware in their “legacy” devices, has simply reached its limit and can no longer be “confidently” updated. If Sonos are to remain ahead of their competitors, in a saturated market, then they have to make controversial and difficult decisions such as this.

@davidsjones76 yep take on board that viewpoint...but SONOS are only offering 30% discount on an upgrade for products which were in the CUSTOMERS eyes brand new only a few years ago for which hundreds or thousands of pounds have been spent. A larger discount on the upgrade would be more palatable, surely the profit margin is more than 30% on this kit, then if so do it at cost, if not surely it makes commercial sense to offer a massive discount or make them free...take the hit, keep your loyal customer base in tact, keep them wanting to buy more because of your ethical ethos...keep them singing the virtues of SONOS...that’s gotta pay dividends in the long-run 😐

R

rAndison

Enthusiast I

I was just about to post on the original thread, I pressed “Send” and the system reports that the thread is closed? OK, then I’ll take my comments to a third-party like BBC News.

I think it’s fair to say, that the anger will continue on this new thread anyway,
I don’t think the idea of this thread being ‘answers to technical questions raised’ will cut it.

Good idea, re going to external media, as Sonos are clearly not listening so far.

I see that the story is now on the top of the BBC tech page.

Hardly surprising, as by Sonos’s own figures, 37% of their revenue comes from existing owners. Not any more though.

They’ve actually made the front page news of the whole site (right hand side).

I have a feeling revenue will drop by at least 37%😂

P

pf_1

Contributor I

Let’s try to get a US News group to pick up the story. Attached is a link to Fox News. Select “send a story or news tip”. I’m sending it right now. Fox may respond if they get enough incoming tips.

https://help.foxnews.com/hc/en-us/requests/new

M

Mardy

Lyricist I

I sort of understand the decision, but (1) the communication has been a bit of a mess and (2) as an owner of some ‘legacy’ Connect:Amp units, if I was to replace them I would not go with the modern day equivalent. You are forcing me, with the 30% ‘trade up’ to buy stuff I would not buy if I had a choice. Why not offer a trade in, rather than trade up, and let me put the payment towards other Sonos gear, not necessarily a like-for-like.

C

chris_h1957

Enthusiast I

Further to some comments on the precious discussion (now closed) regarding a Raspberry Pi Multi Room Solution I found this https://support.hifiberry.com/hc/en-us/articles/205699981-How-to-build-a-multiroom-audio-system-based-on-Raspberry-Pi-and-Hifiberry

Anyone could set this up very easily should the Sonos System die when the Sonos Upgrade cocks up.

Don’t hold your breath……

Also thank you @AdrianB100 for the links above.

EDIT - Whilst I was writing the post from @AdrianB100 with the CEO’s Email address has mysteriously disappeared. I was just going to use it!

The email address is patrick.spence@sonos.com

P

Paul000000

Lyricist III

Everyone needs to go to trust pilot.com, and every review site they can think of, and let Sonos know how they feel!

Just been there. Still had to give the b<&^/#s one star, though.

Just left my review. They are at a 1.4 trust score. Seems right.

Please keep this up. Remember Amazon, Bestbuy and local retailers!

A

attacama40

Headliner I

Sonos is following in Boeing’s foot steps !! :rage:

Like it …. the new Sonos Play 737max

….. a second of dark levity in an otherwise very dark and depressing time within the Sonos sphere.

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