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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rldigby

Lyricist III

We don’t know that yet. At the worst, you may end up with two Sonos systems, one with legacy devices, one with modern devices. We’ll need to wait for further information from Sonos as to whether they’ll be able to communicate with each other, but neither would lose the ability to connect with the other devices within its own network.

The CEO’s statement said exactly that.

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Rob NYC1

Enthusiast II

Patrick Spence becomes CEO of Sonos in 2017 then:

(a) Spence kills off the CR100 controller in 2018 by sending an update that bricks it (and includes a link to Sonos to purchase a new one). Spence decided this was easier than breaking into customers’ homes and stealing their CRT100 remotes; but, it achieved the same goal. .

(b) Spence requires all owners to register their Sonos devices and share certain data with Sonos. If users don’t register (and agree to transfer some data to Sonos), then products won’t receive updates. Spence apparently thinks it OK to demand items of value (i.e., info) from customers notwithstanding they had already paid for the product;

(c) Spence introduces the “recycling” program at the end of 2019 because he apparently hates the environment as much he hates Sonos’ customer base.

(d) Spence decides to sue google because its OK for Pence to steal from customers but its not OK for Google to steal customers from Spence.

(e) Spence introduces the “legacy/modern” product distinction. Sonos customer base complains. Spence says, “sorry…. but not sorry”.

(f) Sonos goes public under Spence at 15/share. It is currently trading at less than $14.

Everything we loved about Sonos occurred before Spence. Everything we now hate about Sonos happened because of Spence. Fire Spence!!! We want a new CEO!!!! We want a new CEO!!!

Last point on Spence. He has way too many photos of himself in short-sleeved shirts. Trying waaaay to hard to look like you fit in a tech company Spence.

You helped destroy blackberry when you were there. And you’re off to a great start at Sonos.

NEW CEO NOW!

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R

rldigby

Lyricist III

Patrick Spence becomes CEO of Sonos in 2017 then:

(a) Spence kills off the CR100 controller in 2018 by sending an update that bricks it (and includes a link to Sonos to purchase a new one). Spence might as well have stolen those customers CR100 remotes.

(b) Spence requires all owners to register their Sonos devices and share certain data with Sonos. If Users don’t register (and agree to transfer some data to Sonos), then products won’t receive updates. Pence again decides to demand items of value (i.e., info) from customers who thought they had already paid for the product;

(c) Spence introduces the “recycling” program at the end of 2019 because he apparently hate the environment as much he likes to steal from customers.

(d) Spence decides to sue google because its OK for Pence to Steal from customers but not for google to steal customers from Pence

(e) Spence introduces the “legacy” distinction. Sonos customer base complains. Pence says, “sorry” and that the products “won’t be bricked in May” but we get the joke Patrick.

(f) Sonos goes public under Spence at 15/share. It is currently trading at less than $14. And I don’t see that getting better since the entire customer base is pissed off.

(g) If you love Sonos, let’s start writing to the board members and major shareholders and have Sonos get rid of Pence.

Last point on Spence. He looks has way too many pictures of himself in short-sleeved shirts. He looks like a creep in them.

Everything I loved above Sonos happened before Spence. Everything I now hate about Sonos happened because of Spence. Fire Spence!!! We want a new CEO!!!! We want a new CEO!!!

Right now investors are OK because the stock price increased after the 1st quarter results. The financial number were good based mainly of Christmas sales that happened before the announcement. The big tell will be 2nd quarter results which will be all after the announcement in January.